Ruslan Sergienko

Placenta accreta: risk factors, perinatal outcomes, and consequences for subsequent births.

OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate risk factors and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated with placenta accreta and to study perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study comparing all singleton cesarean deliveries (CD) of women with and without placenta accreta was conducted. In addition, a retrospective comparison of all subsequent singleton CD of women with a previous placenta accreta, with CD of women with no such history, was performed during the years 1988 through 2011. Stratified analysis using multiple logistic regression models was performed to control for confounders. RESULTS During the study period, there were 34,869 CD, of which 0.4% (n = 139) were complicated with placenta accreta. Using a multivariable analysis with backward elimination, year of birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.09; P < .001), previous CD (aOR, 5.11; 95% CI, 3.42-7.65; P < .001), and placenta previa (aOR, 50.75; 95% CI, 35.57-72.45; P < .001) were found to be independently associated with placenta accreta. There were 30 subsequent pregnancies of women with placenta accreta. Recurrent accreta occurred in 4 patients (13.3%). Previous placenta accreta was significantly associated with uterine rupture (3.3% vs 0.3%, P < .01) peripartum hysterectomy (3.3% vs 0.2%, P < .001), and the need for blood transfusions (16.7% vs 4%, P < .001). Nevertheless, increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes such as low Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes and perinatal mortality was not found in these patients. CONCLUSION Prior CD and placenta previa are independent risk factors for placenta accreta. A pregnancy following a previous placenta accreta is at increased risk for adverse maternal outcomes such as recurrent accreta, uterine rupture, and peripartum hysterectomy. However, adverse perinatal outcomes were not demonstrated.

Acute antepartum pyelonephritis in pregnancy: a critical analysis of risk factors and outcomes

OBJECTIVE To test the incidence and sonographic parameters of pyelonephritis during pregnancy, and to examine risk factors and pregnancy outcomes of women with acute antepartum pyelonephritis. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective population-based study comparing all singleton pregnancies of patients with and without acute antepartum pyelonephritis was performed. Patients lacking prenatal care as well as multiple gestations were excluded from the study. Multiple logistic regression models were used to control for confounders. RESULTS Out of 219,612 singleton deliveries in 1988-2010, 165 women (0.07%) suffered from acute antepartum pyelonephritis. Abnormal sonographic findings were found in 85.7% of the patients with pyelonephritis. Pyelonephritis was significantly associated with nulliparity (46.1% vs. 24.4%, p<0.001), younger maternal age (26.3 ± 6.0 vs. 28.6 ± 5.8 years, p<0.001), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (6.7% vs. 2.1%, p<0.001), placental abruption (3.6% vs. 0.7%, p<0.001), low 1 min Apgar scores (10.3% vs. 6.0%, p<0.05), urinary tract infection (UTI) (4.2% vs. 0.4%, p<0.001) and preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks gestation; 20.0% vs. 7.8%; p<0.001). Using a multivariable analysis, independent risk factors for acute antepartum pyelonephritis were nulliparity (OR 2.0; 95% C.I 1.4-2.9; p<0.001), UTI (OR 10.3; 95% C.I 4.8-22.1; p<0.001) and younger maternal age (OR 0.96; 95% C.I 0.93-0.99; p=0.009). Using another multivariable analysis, with preterm delivery as the outcome variable, acute antepartum pyelonephritis was found as an independent risk factor for preterm delivery (OR 2.6; 95% C.I 1.7-3.9; p<0.001). CONCLUSION Acute antepartum pyelonephritis is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and specifically is an independent risk factor for preterm delivery.

Placental abruption: critical analysis of risk factors and perinatal outcomes

Objective. To investigate risk factors and pregnancy outcome of patients with placental abruption. Methods. A population-based study comparing all pregnancies of women with and without placental abruption was conducted. Stratified analysis using multiple logistic regression models was performed to control for confounders. Results. During the study period there were 185,476 deliveries, of which 0.7% (1365) occurred in patients with placental abruption. The incidence of placental abruption increased between the years 1998 to 2006 from 0.6 to 0.8%. Placental abruption was more common at earlier gestational age. The following conditions were significantly associated with placental abruption, using a multivariable analysis with backward elimination: hypertensive disorders, prior cesarean section, maternal age, and gestational age. Placental abruption was significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes such as Apgar scores <7 at 1 and 5 min and perinatal mortality. Patients with placental abruption were more likely to have cesarean deliveries, as well as cesarean hysterectomy.Using another multivariate analysis, with perinatal mortality as the outcome variable, controlling for gestational age, hypertensive disorders, etc., placental abruption was noted as an independent risk factor for perinatal mortality. Conclusions. Placental abruption is an independent risk factor for perinatal mortality. Since the incidence of placental abruption has increased during the last decade, risk factors should be carefully evaluated in an attempt to improve surveillance and outcome.

Risk factors for intrauterine fetal death (1988–2009)

Objective. To determine risk factors for intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). Study design. A retrospective population-based study, of all singleton deliveries between the years 1988–2009 was conducted. Intrapartum deaths, postpartum death, and multiple gestations were excluded. A multiple logistic regression model was used to determine independent risk factors. Results. During the study period, out of 228,239 singleton births, 1694 IUFD cases were recorded (7.4 per 1000 births). The following independent risk factors were identified in the logistic regression executed: Oligohydramnios (OR 2.6, 95% CI 2.1–3.2, p-value < 0.001), polyhydramnios (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.4–2.2, p-value < 0.001), previous adverse perinatal outcome (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5–2.1, p-value < 0.001), congenital malformations (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.8–2.3, p-value < 0.001), true knot of cord (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.8–4.9, p-value < 0.001), meconium stained amniotic fluid (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.3–3.0, p-value<0.001), placental abruption (OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.4–3.5, p-value < 0.001), advanced maternal age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.04, p-value < 0.001), and hypertensive disorders (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.0–1.4, p-value = 0.026). Jewish ethnicity (versus Bedouin – OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.57–0.72, p-value < 0.001), gestational diabetes (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5–0.8, p-value = 0.001), previous cesarean section (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7–0.97, p-value = 0.019), and recurrent abortions (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6–0.9, p-value = 0.011) were negatively associated with IUFD. Conclusion. Several independent risk factors were identified, suggesting a possible cause of death. Other pathologic conditions that facilitate tighter pregnancy surveillance and active management were found protective, pointing the benefit of such management approaches in high-risk pregnancies.

Long-term maternal atherosclerotic morbidity in women with pre-eclampsia

Objective To investigate whether severe and recurrent pre-eclampsia increase the risk for long-term maternal atherosclerotic disease. Study design A population-based study compared the incidence of long-term atherosclerotic morbidity in a cohort of women who delivered in the years 1988–2012. The exposure variable was pre-eclampsia. Mean follow-up duration was 11.2 years. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to estimate cumulative incidence of simple, complex (ie, angina pectoris and congestive heart failure, respectively) cardiovascular-related and renal-related hospitalisations. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the adjusted HRs for cardiovascular and renal morbidity. Results During the study, 96 370 patients met the inclusion criteria; 7824 (8.1%) in patients who were diagnosed at least once with pre-eclampsia. Patients with pre-eclampsia had higher rates of cardiovascular morbidity including cardiac non-invasive (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7; p=0.005) and invasive diagnostic procedures (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.3; p=0.001), simple (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.8; p=0.001), as well as complex cardiovascular events (OR 2.4; 95% CI 2.2 to 2.8; p=0.001) and renal (OR 3.7; 95% CI 2.2 to 6.0; p=0.001) hospitalisations. A significant linear association was noted between the severity of pre-eclampsia (no pre-eclampsia, mild pre-eclampsia, severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia) and cardiovascular (2.7% vs 4.5% vs 5.2% vs 5.7%, respectively; p=0.001), as well as renal disease (0.1% vs 0.2% vs 0.5% vs 1.1%, respectively; p=0.001). Likewise, a linear association was found between the number of previous pregnancies with pre-eclampsia (no pre-eclampsia, one event and ≥2 events of pre-eclampsia) and risk for future simple cardiovascular disease (1.2% vs 1.6% vs 2.2%, respectively; p=0.001), complex cardiovascular disease (1.3% vs 2.7% vs 4.6%, respectively; p=0.001) and total cardiovascular hospitalisations (2.7% vs 4.4% vs 6.0%, respectively; p=0.001). Using a Kaplan–Meier survival curve, patients with pre-eclampsia had significantly higher cumulative incidence of atherosclerotic-related hospitalisations. In a Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for confounders such as maternal age, parity, diabetes mellitus and obesity, pre-eclampsia remained independently associated with atherosclerotic hospitalisations. Conclusions Previous pregnancy with pre-eclampsia is an independent risk factor for long-term maternal atherosclerotic morbidity. The risk is more substantial for patients with severe and recurrent episodes of pre-eclampsia.

Nephrolithiasis during pregnancy: characteristics, complications, and pregnancy outcome

PurposeTo evaluate obstetric complications and birth outcome in pregnant women with nephrolithiasis.MethodsA retrospective population-based study comparing all pregnancies of women with and without nephrolithiasis between 1989 and 2010 was conducted. Clinical characteristics were compared, and the obstetric risk factors and labor complication were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed in order to identify independent risk factors for nephrolithiasis.ResultsDuring the study period, there were 219,656 deliveries, of which 195 women with nephrolithiasis were identified. Nephrolithiasis in pregnant women was significantly associated with recurrent abortions, mild preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, and cesarean deliveries. Nephrolithiasis was also significantly associated with urinary tract infections, pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis, and hydroureter. Nevertheless, no higher rates of premature rupture of membranes, preterm deliveries, or adverse perinatal outcomes (birth weight, Apgar scores or perinatal mortality) were noted in patients with nephrolithisais. Using a multiple logistic regression model, obesity (odds ratio 4.4, 95% confidence interval 2.1–9.0) and hypertensive disorders (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.9–4.1) were independently associated with nephrolithiasis.ConclusionMaternal kidney stones are significantly associated with several pregnancy complications, including recurrent abortions, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and cesarean deliveries. Nevertheless, it is not associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. These findings raise the question regarding the proper management of small asymptomatic kidney stone in a pregnant woman.

Maternal “isolated” obesity and obstetric complications

Objective: To investigate pregnancy outcomes, particularly cesarean delivery (CD), among women with “isolated” obesity (i.e. without additional comorbidities). Study design: We conducted a retrospective population-based study between the years 1988–2010. The pregnancy outcomes of obese (prepregnancy BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and nonobese patients were compared. Patients with chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes mellitus, other preexisting chronic morbidities, multiple gestations, age above 40 years, grand multiparity (above 5 deliveries), lack of prenatal care, and following fertility treatments were excluded from the analysis. Stratified analyses, using multiple logistic regression models, were performed to control for confounders. Results: During the study period, a total of 173,628 deliveries met the inclusion criteria; 1605 (0.9%) occurred in patients with “isolated” obesity. Higher rates of CD were found among patients with “isolated” obesity (30.7% vs. 12.3%; odds ration [OR] = 3.2; p < 0.001). When controlling for possible confounders, using a multivariable model with CD as the outcome variable, the association between “isolated” obesity and CD remained significant (adjusted OR = 2.6; p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in the risks of perinatal complications including perinatal mortality, shoulder dystocia, congenital malformations, and low 5-min Apgar score. Conclusion: “Isolated” obesity, although not a risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes, is an independent risk factor for CD.

High uric acid level during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy is associated with higher risk for gestational diabetes mellitus and mild preeclampsia.

Objective. To examine the association between uric acid (UA) level during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia in the second half of pregnancy. Methods. The study population included registered births (n = 5507) between 2001 and 2007 in a tertiary medical center. The UA levels during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy were sorted by UA ≤ 2.4 mEq/L; UA = 2.5–4.0 mEq/L, UA = 4.1–5.5 mEq/L, and UA > 5.5 mEq/L. The linear-by-linear chi-square test and ROC curves were used to determine the association between UA level during the first 20 weeks and pregnancy complications. Multivariate analyses were performed to demonstrate whether UA level is an independent factor for the prevalence of preeclampsia and GDM. Results. Significant linear association was documented between UA level in the first 20 weeks and the prevalence of GDM and mild preeclampsia. The lowest and the highest prevalence of GDM were found in the UA ≤ 2.4 mEq/L group (6.3%) and in the UA > 5.5 mEq/L group (10.5%) (p < 0.001), respectively. Mild preeclampsia was diagnosed in 2.1% of the patients from the UA ≤ 2.4 mEq/L group, 3.3% from the UA = 2.5–4.0 mEq/L group, 5.3% from the UA = 4.1–5.5 mEq/L group, and 4.5% from the UA > 5.5 mEq/L group (p < 0.001). Three multiple logistic regression models controlling for maternal age showed that UA level is an independent risk factor for both GDM and mild preeclampsia. Conclusions. UA levels in the highest quartile of the normal range during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy are associated with higher risk for the development of GDM and mild preeclampsia.

Is preeclampsia a significant risk factor for long-term hospitalizations and morbidity?

Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate long-term morbidity of patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Study design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including women who gave birth between the years of 1988 to 1998, and had a follow-up until December 2009. Data were extracted by linking a computerized database of hospitalizations with computerized database containing maternal records from the same regional medical center. The exposed group comprised 2072 patients with mild or severe preeclampsia in one or more of their pregnancies and the comparison group included 20742 patients without preeclampsia. Excluded from the study were patients with chronic hypertension and pre-gestational diabetes before the index pregnancy. Data included subsequent hospitalizations in internal medicine, oncology, nephrology, neurology, cardiac intensive care unit, and hematology, as well as a diagnosis of chronic hypertension during the follow-up period. Results: Patients with preeclampsia had significantly higher rates of chronic hypertension diagnosed after the index pregnancy as compared with patients without preeclampsia (12.5% vs. 0.9%; OR = 15.8, 95% CI 12.9–19.3; p < 0.001). Likewise, patients with preeclampsia were more likely to be hospitalized at least once (13.7% vs. 11.4%; OR = 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.4; p = 0.002) as compared with patients without preeclampsia. Exposed women had 582 hospitalizations (0.28 hospitalization/patient), while the non-exposed patients had a total of 4687 hospitalizations (0.23 hospitalization/patient; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Preeclampsia is a significant risk factor for long-term morbidity such as chronic hypertension and hospitalizations later in life.

Recurrent pregnancy loss: a risk factor for long-term maternal atherosclerotic morbidity?

OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate whether patients with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) have an increased risk for future maternal atherosclerotic morbidity. STUDY DESIGN A population-based study compared the incidence of long-term atherosclerotic morbidity (renal and cardiovascular) in a cohort of women with and without a diagnosis of RPL. Patients had a mean follow-up duration of more than a decade. Women with known atherosclerotic disease were excluded from the study. Cardiovascular morbidity was divided into 4 categories according to severity and type including simple and complex cardiovascular events and invasive and noninvasive cardiac procedures. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate cumulative incidence of cardiovascular and renal hospitalizations. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios for cardiovascular and renal morbidity. RESULTS During the study period 99,285 patients were included; of these 6.7% (n = 6690) had a history of RPL. Patients with RPL had higher rates of renal and cardiovascular morbidity including cardiac invasive and noninvasive diagnostic procedures, simple as well as complex cardiovascular events, and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular causes. Using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, patients with a previous diagnosis of RPL had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of cardiovascular but not renal hospitalizations. Using a Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for confounders such as preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking, a history of RPL remained independently associated with cardiovascular hospitalizations (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-1.8; P = .001). CONCLUSION RPL is an independent risk factor for long-term maternal cardiovascular complications.