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E M Grischke

Publications and source records attributed to E M Grischke.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Diabetes and pregnancy--a frequently underestimated problem].

Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy continues to be a relatively neglected problem and is often not adequately recognized. Currently, global screening for this condition is not accepted by health insurance carriers. Nevertheless, carbohydrate metabolism should always be carefully investigated during pregnancy. In the presence of risk factors, a 75-g glucose tolerance test (WHO standard test) is to be recommended. Indicators for the presence of gestational diabetes such as incipient fetal macrosomia, an increase in amniotic fluid or glucosuria must be detected and an appropriate diagnostic work-up initiated. Signs of fetal malformation of the heart, skeletal system or lower urinary tract should always prompt an oral glucose tolerance test during the pregnancy.

Blood Glucose↗

[Nutrition during pregnancy--current aspects].

A balanced diet that provides an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals is essential for normal fetal development. Maternal morbidity is also lower, since such complications of pregnancy as preeclampsia and premature birth occur less frequently. Consideration should be given to folate deficiency--in particular during the periconceptive period--and iron deficiency during pregnancy. For the structural development of the fetus, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids also appear to have a major role to play. Daily iodine supplementation should be used to avoid goiter in mother and child. Calcium appears to have a protective effect against preeclampsia and hypertension, as also do vitamins E and C. The tocolytic action of magnesium can help reduce the incidence of premature birth. Such noxae as alcohol and nicotine should be avoided completely during the entire pregnancy.

Adult↗

Clinical relevance of genomic aberrations in homogeneously treated high-risk stage II/III breast cancer patients.

Little is known about the prognostic impact of chromosome aberrations in breast cancer. The aim of our study was to determine whether genomic aberrations of prognostic relevance can be identified in the context of a clinical study using molecular cytogenetics. Paraffin-embedded tumor samples of 44 patients with high-risk stage II/III breast cancer were analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization. All patients received identical therapy including dose-escalated chemotherapy followed by peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The most frequent chromosomal aberrations were gains on chromosome arms 17q (24 cases), 1q (21 cases), 8q (17 cases), 20q (13 cases), 6p (9 cases) as well as losses on chromosome arms 13q (25 cases), 11q (20 cases), 5q (11 cases), 6q (11 cases), 9p (10 cases), 18q (10 cases), 8p (9 cases) and 16q (9 cases). In univariate analysis, the correlation with the clinical outcome revealed a higher risk for patients with tumors exhibiting 13q losses and a reduced risk for tumors exhibiting 16q losses (p = 0.020), 6q losses (p = 0.041) and estrogen-receptor positivity (0.051). In multivariate analysis using the Cox model, only the loss of 16q exhibited borderline significance (p = 0.065). These data show that comparative genomic hybridization can be performed in the context of a clinical trial. In our subgroup of high-risk breast cancer patients, chromosomal aberrations were valuable prognostic parameters.

Adult↗

Tandem high-dose chemotherapy in high-risk primary breast cancer: a multivariate analysis and a matched-pair comparison with standard-dose chemotherapy.

Stem cell-supported high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is currently being evaluated in patients with high-risk primary breast cancer (HRPBC), as defined by extensive axillary lymph node involvement. Conclusive results from randomized studies with sufficient patient numbers and follow-up are pending. We retrospectively analyzed 144 HRPBC patients enrolled in a single-arm trial of tandem HDCT at the University of Heidelberg to evaluate the prognostic value of nodal ratio, HER2/neu status, and cytokeratin-positive bone marrow cells and to compare the outcomes of these patients with those of a conventionally treated control group of 91 patients matched by nodal ratio, tumor size, combined hormone-receptor status, and HER2/neu status. The tandem HDCT regimen consisted of 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy followed by 2 cycles of blood stem cell-supported high-dose ifosfamide, 12 g/m2; carboplatin, 900 mg/M2; and epirubicin, 180 mg/m2. Conventionally treated patients received a regimen containing anthracycline without taxanes (52 patients) or CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-flurouracil; 39 patients). With a median follow-up of 3.8 years, disease-free, distant disease-free, and overall survival rates were 62%, 65%, and 84%, respectively. In univariate analysis, besides the hormone receptor status (P = .007), HER2/neu overexpression was the strongest predictor of earlier death (P = .017). In multivariate analysis, a nodal ratio of > or =0.8 was found to be the only independent predictor of relapse (relative risk [RR] = 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-3.60; P = .008) and only the absence of hormone receptors was associated with earlier death (RR = 3.59; 95% CI, 1.45-8.86; P = .006). Despite a trend toward later distant relapse after HDCT compared with standard-dose chemotherapy with a median follow-up of 3 years (P = .059), thus far, matched-pair analysis has not demonstrated significantly better survival rates after HDCT in all matched patients (P = .786) or in the subgroups of anthracycline-treated patients and patients with and without overexpression of HER2/neu. So far, the follow-up time has been too short to draw definite conclusions; however, patients with a nodal ratio of > or =0.8, receptor-negative tumors, or HER2/neu overexpression are at high risk for relapse and death, irrespective of the kind of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of double and triple high-dose chemotherapy with autologous blood stem cell transplantation in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

In patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), early dose intensification with multiple cycles of peripheral blood stem cell-supported high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) seems superior to a late dose-intensification strategy. We compared the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 20 patients treated with a double (D)-HDCT regimen to 20 patients who received a triple (T)-HDCT, matched by age, estrogen receptor (ER) status, adjuvant chemotherapy, initial disease-free interval, predominant metastatic site, and number of metastatic sites. At a median follow-up of 41.5 months (range, 14-88 months) an intent-to-treat analysis showed no difference in PFS (p = 0.72) and OS (p = 0.93) between the matched patients. For all 76 patients treated within the D- or T-HDCT trial, median PFS and OS was 13 months (range, 2-78 months) and 24.5 months (range, 7-78 months), respectively. In multivariate analysis independent predictors of shorter OS included negative ER (relative risk [RR] = 3.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-5.9]; p = 0.002), more than two metastatic sites (RR = 2.4 [95% CI 1.0-5.7]; p = 0.049) and failure to achieve complete remission/no evidence of disease (CR/NED) after HDCT (RR = 4.5 [95% CI 2.0-10.1]; p < 0.0001). These data show that early dose intensification with T-HDCT is not superior to a D-HDCT regimen in patients with MBC. ER-negative tumors, more than two metastatic sites and no CR/NED after HDCT, are associated with inferior outcome.

Adult↗

[Acardius or "twin-reversed arterial prefusion" sequence. Report of four cases and review of current therapeutic possibilities].

We describe four cases of acardius (one of hemiacardius, two of holoacardius acephalus, and one of the holacardius amorphus) and present the current range of therapeutic possibilities: control of amniotic fluid by repeated amniocentesis or indomethacin therapy, administration of digoxin to the mother, selective preterm delivery of the acardiac twin by hysterotomy, interruption of the anastomoses by injection of thrombogenic coils, sclerosing agents, umbilical cord ligation, fetoscopic laser coagulation, and thermocoagulation.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Lack of evidence for tamoxifen- and toremifene-DNA adducts in lymphocytes of treated patients.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is used for the adjuvant treatment of women with breast cancer and has also been recommended as a chemopreventive agent. Among unwanted side effects, TAM was shown to increase endometrial cancer in treated women by mechanisms that are not yet clearly understood. We studied DNA adducts in lymphocytes of female breast cancer patients treated with TAM or toremifene (TOR), a TAM analogue and compared them with adducts formed by TAM in rat liver, where the drug induces tumours. DNA adducts were measured by TLC-(32)P-post-labelling assays. After TLC, all DNA samples including DNA from untreated healthy women showed a faint radioactive zone, where the positive control DNA adducts isolated from the liver of rats treated with TAM migrated. The relative adduct levels were calculated from the radioactivity present in this zone. Means +/- SD of adduct levels per 10(8) nucleotides (associated with this area) were for untreated volunteers (control) 1.83 +/- 1.41 (n = 13), for TAM treatment 2.17 +/- 3.04 (n = 25) and for TOR treatment 1.18 +/- 1.05 (n = 8). Most of the human samples were further analysed by HPLC after labelling with (32)P in order to compare adducts in human DNA with those in liver DNA isolated from TAM-treated rats. None of the human samples showed any peaks at retention times where putative TAM-DNA adducts were eluted. In conclusion, lymphocyte DNA from female patients treated at therapeutic levels did not show evidence of the formation of TAM- or TOR-DNA adducts.

Adult↗

Predictive value of serum interleukin-6 and -8 levels in preterm labor or rupture of the membranes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective study was to examine if serum concentrations of cytokines are of value in the identification of patients at risk for preterm delivery. METHODS: Interleukin- 1beta,2,4,6,8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were determined between 25 and 37 weeks of gestation in the serum of 72 consecutive patients with preterm labor, 38 patients with preterm rupture of the membranes, and 24 healthy pregnant women as a control group. Material was collected within 18 hours after hospitalization and was immediately centrifuged and shock frozen. RESULTS: Significantly increased serum levels were found for interleukin-6 and -8 in patients with preterm labor or preterm rupture of the membranes when compared to the control group (p<0.001 and p<0.005, respectively). In patients with preterm rupture of the membranes and interleukin-6 levels above the median of 4.0 pg/ml the delivery occurred significantly earlier than in patients with lower levels (1 versus 5.5 days; p=0.005). Patients of both pathology groups with detectable (>18 pg/ml). Interleukin-8 levels had a shorter pregnancy duration when compared to other patients (p=0.05 for preterm labor and p=0.04 for preterm rupture of the membranes). Interleukin-1beta,2,4, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were not correlated with clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum interleukin-6 and -8 levels are associated with a shorter interval between onset of preterm rupture of the membranes and delivery and should therefore be further evaluated for their use in clinical practice.

Adult↗

Reduction of aseptic measures in gynecologic endoscopy: a comparative clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: A prospective comparative clinical study was conducted on 200 patients to evaluate the consequences of minimizing the following standard hygienic measures in gynecologic laparoscopy: surgical scrub, patient draping, surgical gowns. STUDY DESIGN: A group of 100 patients treated according to maximum hygienic protocol was compared to a group of 100 patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures with only limited aseptic precautions. Clinical control parameters were perioperative temperature and white blood cell count up to the 4th postoperative day. Furthermore, patients and their gynecologists were interviewed 2-4 weeks after surgery to rule out any delayed manifestation of an infection. RESULTS: Perioperative infection was low in both groups. CONCLUSION: As we found no significant difference between the two collectives' control parameters, we conclude that a reduction in perioperative hygiene seems feasible for certain laparoscopic procedures. However, a larger collective should be studied in order to confirm this action.

Adult↗

Does the measurement of four fetal arteries provide more information than the measurement of just two arteries in prenatal Doppler sonography?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the measurement of two or more fetal arteries provides more information and leads to a selection of fetuses at higher risk. DESIGN: In 244 pregnancies Doppler examinations in four fetal arteries (fetal aorta, common carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, umbilical artery) were performed. The evaluation of the results was made by means of a Doppler score for standardization and systematization. The results were divided into four groups (normal, pre-pathological, pathological, highly pathological) and the individual correlations with fetal outcome parameters were investigated. The results from measuring only two fetal arteries (the fetal aorta and middle cerebral artery) were then compared with those from all four arteries. RESULTS: Increasing pathology of the Doppler score correlated with fetal outcome parameters. The results showed that if the Doppler result in the two-vessel measurement was normal (n = 180), pre-pathological (n = 29) or highly pathological (n = 12) then measuring four vessels generally brought no additional information. However, the four-vessel measurement was of advantage in the pathological group (n = 23) because it selected the high-risk fetuses (30.4%), as categorized by outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Differentiating between several degrees of pathology is important for the estimation of fetal risk. In cases of pathological Doppler findings, the measurement of more than two vessels is important in order to select fetuses at increased risk.

Arteries↗

[Long-term outcome of incontinence and prolapse surgery at the Heidelberg University Gynecologic Clinic 1980-1992].

OBJECTIVE: Long-term results after different types of operations for urinary stress incontinence (minimum follow-up: 18 months) as well as multiple risk factors for the pelvic floor were analysed in a retrospective study. STUDY DESIGN: Between 1980 and 1992 1283 patients underwent surgery because of urinary stress incontinence at the University Women's Hospital in Heidelberg. The data of 478 patients, 430 of these after primary and 48 after recurrent surgery, were evaluated by questionnaires with regard to the long-term-results. RESULTS: 57% of patients after primary surgical therapy and 37% after recurrent surgery were cured for longer than 5 years or since the operation. A cure or improvement of the incontinence could be observed in 80% after primary and in 73% after recurrent surgery. Among the vaginal approaches for primary surgery the hysterectomy combined with colporrhaphy was most successful (60% cured or more than 5 years continent, 80.5% at least improved). The Burch colposuspension revealed even better results among the abdominal approaches (64% cured or longer than 5 years continent, 86% at least improved) compared to the Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz procedure with a cure rate of 33%. For therapy of the recurrent urinary incontinence the abdominal Burch colposuspension showed the best results with cure rates of 50% and cure or improvement in 75%. Therefore the abdominal approach seems to be superior to vaginal techniques such as sling operations (33% cure rate, 67% at least improved) or only re-colporrhaphy (27% cure rate, 78% at least improved). CONCLUSION: For primary incontinence the hysterectomy with vaginal repair or the Burch colposuspension have proved to be most successful. For recurrent urinary incontinence the abdominal colposuspension (Burch procedure) seems to be superior to other approaches.

Adult↗

[Long-term outcome of incontinence and prolapse surgery with reference to multiple endogenous and exogenous risk factors for the female pelvic floor].

OBJECTIVE: The long-term results following different types of operations for urinary stress incontinence (minimum follow-up: 18 months) as well as multiple risk factors for the pelvic floor with regard to the results of surgery are reviewed in a retrospective study. STUDY DESIGN: Between 1980 and 1992 1283 patients underwent surgery because of urinary stress incontinence with or at the University Women's' Hospital in Heidelberg. The data of 478 patients, 430 of those following primary surgery and 48 following recurrent surgery, were evaluated from questionnaires with regard to their risk profile and long-term results. RESULTS: 57% of patients following primary surgical therapy and 37% following recurrent surgery were cured for longer than 5 years or since the operation. A cure or improvement of the incontinence could be observed in 80% following primary and in 73% following recurrent surgery. Long-term results were significantly unfavorable, if the patient was exposed to one or several of the following risk factors: 1. Strain at work by carrying weights more than 5 kg 2. At least medium-hard housework, psychological tensions in the private sphere or idle women, who take a car for shopping 3. Double strain with at least medium-high burden with house-work and physical strain at work CONCLUSION: Long-term results following primary urinary stress incontinence surgery are influenced by certain risk-factors.

Adult↗

[Change in the spectrum of uterus-preserving myoma operations including endoscopy and dual myoma therapy].

OBJECTIVE: On the basis of the evaluation of 300 patients who underwent myoma surgery with the desire for uterus preservation at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Heidelberg University, a management scheme including endoscopic techniques was developed. METHOD: Despite the patients' wish for organ preservation, in 12 cases (family planning complete, therapy-resistant sterility, no desire for a child) with an extremely large uterus (20th-24th week of gestation) or a degenerated, intramural myoma (a sarcoma not being excluded), a primary hysterectomy had to be performed. Overall, 37.9% of patients underwent conventional, 42% laparoscopic and 20.1% hysteroscopic surgery. Additionally, to objectify the role of a pretreatment with GnRH analogues (GnRHa), the following control parameters were examined in 128 patients with and 160 patients without pretreatment: rate of primary laparotomies, conversion, secondary hysterectomy, intraoperative bleedings, amount of distension medium and percentage of repeat interventions. RESULTS: No significant differences in the study parameters between study and control groups could be found in the patients treated by laparoscopy. In the hysteroscopy group, conversion rate (13.3 vs. 7%), operation time (35 vs. 21.9 min), rate of severe intraoperative bleeding (33.3 vs. 9.3%), amount of distension medium necessary (difference 2.1 litres) and rate of repeat interventions (40.4 vs. 16.3%) differed significantly between study and control groups. CONCLUSION: In the operative management, the key question is when to perform an invasive procedure. The second question should be which access route is the most convenient. The decision whether to give GnRHa pretreatment is also an individual one, especially in cases of a conventional or laparoscopic operative procedure. A preoperative GnRHa therapy is mandatory before hysteroscopy for submucous myoma.

Adult↗

[Characteristics of rare ovarian tumors--possibilities of organ preservation].

Whereas 65-70% of ovarian malignancies are of the epithelial type, the occurrence rate of stromal tumors is of approx. 7% and that of germ cell tumors of approx. 15%. Stromal tumors are mostly of the granulosa cell type, whereas germ cell tumors occur mainly as dysgerminoma (occurrence 0.9-2%), endodermal sinus tumors, or teratoma. Organ preservation is discussed in relation to the characteristics of these special tumor types. Granulosa cell tumors, representing 70% of the tumors of the gonadal stroma, occur unilaterally in approx. 97% of cases. 10-year-survival in stage I is over 90%. In stages II and III a complete remission after chemotherapy (acc. to the PVB, VAC, or BEP protocol) may be achieved in approx. 60% of cases. Due to these characteristics organ preservation seems feasible. Since dysgerminoma represent the most common malignant germ cell tumor in children, adolescents and pregnant women (up to 17% of all dysgerminoma are diagnosed during pregnancy), the wish for organ preservation is the more understandable. However, bilaterality, occurring in 20% of cases, has to be considered. Especially in large tumors lymphatic metastases also have to be taken into account. In cases of endodermal sinus tumors and teratoma, overall survival, mainly in patients with advanced disease, depends on the response to an aggressive chemotherapy. Preconditions for organ preservation are the patients' urgent childbearing desire, their information concerning the 5-7% risk of recurrence, an adequate oncologic postoperative care and optimally, after delivery, removal of the contralateral ovary and re-staging. The operative procedure requires removal of the corresponding adnexa, wedge dissection of the contralateral ovary, omentectomy, and depending on the histological tumor type a pelvic, possibly paraaortal lymph node dissection. No generally accepted standards are available for organ preserving surgery of stromal tumors, especially of the granulosa cell type. Prognosis is essentially influenced by a possible rupture being present, tumor size, cellular atypia, and the mitotic index. If one takes into consideration the possibility of lymph node metastases, at least a pelvic lymph node dissection should be recommended. In cases of metastases additionally a chemotherapy (VAC protocol) is indicated. Among germ cell tumors, dysgerminoma and non-dysgerminoma are treated differently. Non-dysgerminoma are endodermal sinus tumors, teratoma, embryonal carcinoma and mixed forms. For both groups operative management may aim at tumor reduction and in principle organ preservation. Whereas for dysgerminoma an adjuvant radiation therapy is feasible, in cases of non-dysgerminoma the response to a chemotherapy is the only factor influencing prognosis. Chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment is not indicated for pure dysgerminoma stage Ia, and pure solid teratoma stage Ia Gl. For all other dysgerminoma adjuvant chemotherapy, VAC protocol, and chemotherapy according the the BEP protocol for non-dysgerminoma is recommended. In cases of metastatic spread, in both groups an aggressive chemotherapy (BEP protocol) is most commonly performed.

Adolescent↗

[Laparoscopy in (apparently) benign ovarian tumors between benefit and catastrophy and the deceptive safety of laparoscopic lap sacs].

Endoscopic ovarian surgery is currently spreading tremendously, but also rather uncritically. The technical possibilities both of organ preserving and ablative endoscopic surgery are controversial, so that structuring of the indication for an endoscopic procedure as well as optimization of the endoscopic removal of ovarian tumor or adnexae is of utmost relevance. Therefore, a study was performed at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Heidelberg University with the following aims: Risk evaluation of operating into an ovarian malignancy at endoscopy for "presumably" benign cystic ovarian tumors in n = 100 cases in Heidelberg and literature survey Analysis of problems and complications during clinical application of laparoscopic lap sacs for removal of cystic adnexal tumors or adnexae (n = 50) Experimental examination of the risk of an endoscopic lap sacs to rupture during a procedure The risk of endoscopically operating into an ovarian cancer lies between 0.4 and 3% according to literature data. Despite maximal preoperative selection, mainly by ultrasound examination, in our group of 100 patients, in three women without preoperative signs of malignancy but with discreet intracystic structures in the ultrasound, an endoscopic adnexectomy with complete removal in a lap sac was performed, and though immediate section for microscopic examination was negative, final histology revealed one ovarian cancer la and 2 borderline tumors, same stage. In the time period analyzed, three further patients were referred to our center for secondary, delayed (median 3 months) staging after endoscopic procedures for presumed benign lesions. Clinical application of lap sacs proved the necessity of an intensive training. In 3 patients an intraperitoneal rupture of the sac occurred. Typical problems were volume discrepancies between sac respectively abdominal incision and tissue to be removed (28% of cases). The risk of rupture of the various lap sacs examined differed significantly (p < 0.05). Due to the complex pathological nature of cystic adnexal tumors, a 100% selection for the endoscopic approach is not feasible. Therefore, an endoscopic procedure should only be performed after optimal preoperative diagnosis and, in case of the slightest doubt, only if intraoperative microscopic examination is available, and the possibility to perform an immediate staging laparotomy. Sufficient information of the patient is relevant. Laparoscopic removal of tumor or adnexae should be performed in a lap sac. However, there is no absolute certainty of preventing spillage even with the lap sac, since not all endoscopic sacs available are of a sufficient quality.

Adult↗

[Abdominal colposuspension: a synopsis of various approaches and techniques including endoscopic modifications].

Though abdominal colposuspension is an established operative procedure in the therapeutic spectrum of female urinary stress incontinence, there is controversy concerning new access routes and fixation techniques. On the basis of a comparison between results of a "feasibility" study at our department concerning the trans- and extra-peritoneal endoscopic access as well as suspension techniques with alloplastic material and suturing vs. stapler application, and al literature survey, a synoptic concept is being evaluated. In case of critically made indication, first trends show that results of laparoscopically and retziusscopically assisted techniques are comparable to those of conventional procedures. However, the lack of long-term results as well as an initially prolonged operation time have to be considered. In the meantime an extraperitoneal transumbilical colposuspension was attempted in 2 patients, already unsuccessfully operated upon (conventional Burch) previously. Due to extensive perivesical adhesions a laparotomy had to be performed. The limits of the endoscopic approach seen to be reached in these cases.

Female↗