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Biomedical subjects

J Milliez

Publications and source records attributed to J Milliez.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Newborn shoulder width: physiological variations and predictive value for shoulder dystocia].

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine maternal and infant characteristics affecting newborn shoulder width (NSW) and to evaluate the predictive value of NSW measurement in cases of shoulder dystocia. DESIGN: NSW was systematically measured at birth during a period of 18 months. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Saint-Antoine University Hospital (Paris-France). POPULATION: A total of 2.222 NSW measurements were performed and 22 cases of true shoulder dystocia occurred during the study period. METHODS: NSW measurements were reviewed and correlated with maternal age, parity, nonpregnant weight, weight gain during pregnancy, height, race, fasting glucose and one hour glucose levels, gestational age, birthweight and sex of the neonate. A Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate NSW as a test for predicting shoulder dystocia. RESULTS: The mean NSW was 122.06 mm +/-0.50 SD. Stepwise multiple regression showed that NSW was significantly associated with birthweight (p<0.001), parity (p = 0.04), and nonpregnant weight (p = 0.04). We estimated that the best cut-off for shoulder dystocia prediction was a NSW measurement with a low false positive rate (<10%) in association with a high sensitivity rate. Therefore, NSW measurement above or equal to 140 mm was selected. This measurement should have a low sensitivity of 27.27%, a specificity of 91.82%, a positive predictive value of 4.02%, and a predictive negative value of 99.01% for shoulder dystocia prediction. Nevertheless, birthweight above or equal to 4000 g should retrospectively have a better predictive value for shoulder dystocia. CONCLUSIONS: NSW measurement, which is strongly correlated with birth weight, still remains a poor predictor for shoulder dystocia, even when this evaluation is correct antenatally.

Anthropometry↗

[Use of fetal pulse oximetry during labor].

Fetal surveillance during labor is mainly based on fetal heart rate monitoring in France. In case of abnormal FHR, fetal scalp blood analysis may reduce the rate of cesarean section. Fetal pulse oximetry, a recent second-line technique of fetal monitoring could also reduce obstetrical interventions. Several maternity departments in France and other European countries are currently using this new tool routinely. Several observation studies have shown the potential interest of pulse oximetry. Randomized controlled trials will soon be able to conclude on the real benefits that can be expected from pulse oximetry during therm labor in normally grown fetuses. Other clinical situations such as meconium-stained amniotic fluid, preterm labor or fetal growth retardation remain to be explored.

Female↗

Economics and justice: the ethical aspects of inequity or inequality in health care.

Inequality in access to health care exists under a variety of aspects in different parts of the world. In the USA, the absence of universal health insurance leaves 15% of the population, including 12 million children, unprotected. Managed care and health maintenance organisations (HMOs) tend to further deepen this inequality. In Europe, where state-regulated Social Security covers most of the population, welfare policies affect income-related inequalities leaving others untouched, namely inequalities related to family history, education and occupation. In developing countries, poverty is the main cause of inaccessibility to health care and both internal structural reforms and international support could contribute to alleviating such an appalling injustice.

Developing Countries↗

Habitual abortions in 678 healthy patients: investigation and prevention.

The objective of this study of patients with habitual abortion (HA), was to determine their autoimmune profile and to try to prevent new abortions using low-dose aspirin for 7 months with prednisone in the first trimester only, or with low-dose aspirin alone. A total of 678 healthy patients with three or more HA were investigated for antiphospholipid antibodies, antinuclear and antithyroid antibodies. Among these patients, 277 pregnant women were treated, 214 were given prednisone and aspirin (161 autoantibody-negative and 53 autoantibody-positive women), and 63 autoantibody-negative women received aspirin alone. Autoantibodies were present in 33.9% of the patients, in 82.6% of them anticardiolipin antibodies were found to be isolated or associated with antiprothrombin, antithyroid, circulating anticoagulant, antinuclear or anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies. In autoantibody-negative pregnant women treated by prednisone and aspirin or aspirin alone, the success rate of live births was 90.7% (146 out of 161) and 74.6% (47 out of 63) respectively (P < 0.01). In autoantibody-positive patients treated with prednisone and aspirin the success rate was 84.9% (45 out of 53) (not significant). Prednisone and aspirin seemed to be as efficient in autoantibody-negative or positive women but better than aspirin alone in autoantibody-negative women. A double-blind trial is in progress to confirm these results.

Abortion, Habitual↗

Newborn shoulder width: a prospective study of 2222 consecutive measurements.

OBJECTIVES: To relate maternal and infant characteristics to newborn shoulder width and to evaluate the predictive value of newborn shoulder width measurement in cases of shoulder dystocia. DESIGN: Newborn shoulder width was systematically measured at birth during a period of 18 months. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Saint-Antoine University Hospital, Paris, France. POPULATION: A total of 2222 newborn shoulder width measurements were performed and 22 cases of true shoulder dystocia occurred during the study period. METHODS: Newborn shoulder width measurements were reviewed and correlated with maternal age, parity, nonpregnant weight, weight gain during pregnancy, height, race, fasting glucose and one hour glucose levels, gestational age, birthweight and sex of the neonate. A receiver-operating characteristics curve was constructed to evaluate newborn shoulder width as a test for predicting shoulder dystocia. RESULTS: The mean newborn shoulder width was 122.06 mm (10.50 SD). Stepwise multiple regression showed that newborn shoulder width was significantly associated with birthweight (P < 0.001), parity (P = 0.04), and nonpregnant weight (P = 0.04). We estimated that the best cut off for shoulder dystocia prediction was a newborn shoulder width measurement with a low false positive rate (< 10%) in association with a high sensitivity rate. Therefore, newborn shoulder width measurement > or = 140 mm was selected. This measurement should have a low sensitivity of 27.27%, a specificity of 91.82%, a positive predictive value of 4.02%, and a negative predictive value of 99.01% for shoulder dystocia prediction. Nevertheless, birthweight > or = 4000 g should have a better predictive value retrospectively for shoulder dystocia. CONCLUSIONS: Newborn shoulder width measurement, which is strongly correlated with birthweight, still remains a poor predictor for shoulder dystocia, even when this evaluation is correct antenatally.

Adult↗

Is conservative treatment of HELLP syndrome safe?

HELLP syndrome is associated with a high rate of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and often leads to immediate fetal extraction. However, this condition may occur very early in pregnancy and conservative approaches have been recently proposed. The limits of this approach are discussed with two cases of conservative management of HELLP syndrome complicated by abruptio placentae.

Abruptio Placentae↗

Use of granisetron in patients refractory to previous treatment with antiemetics.

A multicenter, open-label, compassionate-use trial studied the antiemetic efficacy and tolerability of granisetron in patients who had failed other antiemetic therapies in previous cycles of cytostatic chemotherapy. The antiemetics that had been used previously included metoclopramide, dexamethasone and ondansetron. A total of 517 patients, 456 of whom had failed other antiemetics, were treated in up to 15 successive cycles of chemotherapy. The numbers of patients treated in the first six of these cycles were large enough to allow the drawing of meaningful conclusions from the results. During that period, a complete response was achieved in 53-60% of patients. In addition, antiemetic efficacy was sustained throughout these six repeated treatment cycles. Granisetron was less effective against high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy than against other cytostatic regimens. The treatment was well tolerated--the main adverse events reported were headache and constipation; no serious adverse events were considered to be attributable to the drug. It is concluded that granisetron treatment was effective and well tolerated in patients who had previously failed other antiemetic therapies, including treatment with 5-hydroxytryptamine3 antagonists.

Adolescent↗

Nicardipine versus salbutamol in the treatment of premature labor. A prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the tocolytic action and the side effects of nicardipine to those of salbutamol in patients presenting premature labor in order to propose nicardipine as a promising alternative to salbutamol in the treatment of premature labor. STUDY DESIGN: Ninety patients admitted to the Saint-Antoine Hospital (Paris, France) for premature labor were included in this prospective randomized open study comparing nicardipine and salbutamol. Each study group included 45 patients. RESULTS: The mean term of delivery in the nicardipine group was 38.4 +/- 1.7 and 37.6 +/- 2.1 weeks in the salbutamol group (P < 0.05). The percentage of deliveries after 37 gestational weeks was higher with nicardipine (P < 0.05). The birthweight of infants was 3131 +/- 488 g with patients treated with nicardipine and 3019 +/- 494 g with the salbutamol group (NS). The Apgar scores were identical in the two groups at 1 and 5 min. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of neonates admitted into intensive care nor the premature infant center between the two groups. Nicardipine reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure whereas there was no change in the salbutamol group. Maternal pulse rate was significantly increased in the salbutamol group (P < 0.01) and was unchanged in the nicardipine group. The most common side-effects with nicardipine were headaches, and with salbutamol, tremors and palpitations. CONCLUSIONS: Nicardipine is a tocolytic agent as effective as salbutamol in the treatment of premature labor. The use of nicardipine is an interesting alternative to salbutamol, especially in cases of hypertension, diabetes or maternal cardiopathy.

Adult↗

Modulations of cytokine expression in pregnant women.

PROBLEM: Although the overall anti-infectious and anti-parasitic immunity of parous women appears normal, several aspects of maternal cell-mediated and humoral immunity are altered during pregnancy. This has been suggested to occur via preferential local and systemic secretion of Th-2 type cytokines, which down-regulate or prevent secretion/action of Th-1 type cytokines, in animals as well as in humans. METHOD: To evaluate the influence of gestation on the maternal immune system, we have measured, in pregnant women, the mRNAs coding for several cytokines (TNF alpha, IFN gamma, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by use of semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Our results show significant modulations of IFN gamma, IL-1 beta, IL-4, and IL-6 genes expression especially during the third trimester and near parturition. CONCLUSION: Cytokine expression is thus finely tuned in peripheral blood during pregnancy, in a previously unexpected complex pattern, related to gestational stage.

Cohort Studies↗

Early changes in cutaneous bilirubin and serum bilirubin isomers during intensive phototherapy of jaundiced neonates with blue and green light.

We measured the changes in cutaneous bilirubin (Br) and serum Br photoisomers in two groups of 5 jaundiced newborn infants treated by intensive phototherapy (IP), one with blue light and the other with green light. Cutaneous Br was measured with a transcutaneous jaundice meter and photoisomers were measured by HPLC. Cutaneous Br decreased in the two groups as soon as IP began, and the skin was completely bleached within 3 h with blue light only. Rebound occurred which was more marked after blue light IP. The main serum photoproduct was the 4Z-15E isomer, which reached a steady-state level within 1 h in both groups, whereas the lumirubin and 4E-15Z Br concentrations were slightly higher after green light IP. These data indicate that blue light is more suitable for IP, although this is not clearly explained by the production of more lumirubin.

Bilirubin↗

[Early debulking surgery after chemotherapy in advanced cancer of the ovary].

The main prognostic factor in advanced ovarian cancer is the volume of residual disease after the initial laparotomy. Early debulking surgery after several cycles of chemotherapy, before the emergence of resistant cell lines, could improve the prognosis of patients with bulky residual disease. This study concerns patients with advanced ovarian cancer entered into three prospective trials including IV cisplatin and anthracycline-based chemotherapy, early debulking surgery after three cycles of chemotherapy in case of initial residual disease superior 2 cm and intraperitoneal consolidation chemotherapy. Among 160 patients with stage III or IV, 80 (50%) had at least a residual tumor of more than 2 cm in diameter. Early debulking surgery was effectively performed in 54 patients (67.5%), leaving 39 patients with no residue over 2 cm. Twenty-one patients had no macroscopic residual disease. The median survival of all patients with initial residual disease over 2 cm was 23 months. Patients with no macroscopic residual disease at early debulking surgery had a median survival of 44 months. Early debulking surgery appears useful in advanced ovarian cancer with bulky residual disease. The objective of this operation is to achieve no macroscopic residual lesion.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Embryotoxic factors and recurrent spontaneous abortions].

About 30% of recurrent spontaneous abortions remain unexplained by traditional or biological anomalies. The purpose of this work was to investigate embryotoxic factors produced by trophoblast stimulated lymphocytes from women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion. The samples from 36 women with recurrent abortion before and during the next pregnancy and from 7 women with normal pregnancies and no history of spontaneous abortion have been tested. The lymphocytes were stimulated with trophoblastic extracts. The supernatants of the stimulated lymphocytes were tested in a 4-cell mouse embryo culture. The secretion of embryotoxic factor was determined if the number of life blastocysts was less than 50% of control values after 4 days. The lymphocytes from 59% women with 3 or more recurrent abortion produced the embryotoxic factor, this factor may be useful in predicting pregnancy outcome in women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage. The embryotoxic factor might be a new cause of recurrent abortion and a predictive factor.

Abortion, Habitual↗

[Peritoneal tuberculosis. Value of laparoscopy].

We report 6 cases of tuberculous peritonitis, focusing on the contribution of laparoscopic exploration. The initial diagnosis was erroneus in all cases: the polymorphous clinical presentations suggested another infectious disease or cancer disease. Laparoscopy was performed in 5 patients who had ascitis and in 1 with plastic peritonitis. At laparoscopy, the peritoneum showed miliary granulations and inflammatory adherences on the visceral or parietal sheats. Bacteriological analyses of the ascitic fluid were positive in only one case. The diagnosis was confirmed after culture of biopsy specimens and identification of the Kock bacilli or on the basis of objective evidence of an epithelioid giant-cell granuloma with caseous necrosis. Outcome was favorable after appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Adult↗

[Agenesia of the canal of Arantius. A case report].

Looking for the etiology of hydramnios which became symptomatic at 21 weeks' gestation ultrasonography revealed a hepatic vascular abnormality without other symptoms. The suspected diagnosis was agenesis of the ductus venosus with creation of a high grade arteriovenous shunt between the umbilical vein and the inferior vena cava. Agenesis of the ductus venosus may be one expression of the different possible systemic-portal-umbilical abnormalities. Physiological consequences vary according to the type of substitutive anastomoses.

Adult↗

[Screening for gestational diabetes: who? How?].

Despite many international conferences, there is no consensus on gestational diabetes mellitus and many groups only screen those women who present risk factors or who present during pregnancy complications attributable to this condition. Nevertheless, complications secondary to gestational diabetes are equally frequent whether the mother presents risk factor or not, and these risk factors are only present in 30 to 45% of gestational diabetes. Therefore, all pregnant women should be screened ... or none at all. The type of screening test to be used is just as controversial. The test proposed by the WHO alone allows screening and diagnosing simultaneously, but the cut-off value at 7.8 millimoles for post-charge glycemia seems to be too low for a pregnant woman, at the end of the second trimester. The real question of whether screening for and treating gestational diabetes will actually decrease perinatal morbidity and long-term complications for the mother and the infant cannot be answered as of yet. A large prospective study would be needed, including a control group that would not be treated despite pathological glucose levels, which is ethically inconceivable.

Diabetes, Gestational↗

[Non-surgical prevention of uterine cancer].

Non surgical prevention of uterine cervical cancer relies on regular performance of Pap smears and colposcopy. Screening for cervical dysplasia allows their treatment by laser vaporisation or cone biopsy, according to their grade, and therefore the prevention of invasive carcinoma. Unfortunately, 40% of the female population does not comply to cervical screening and Pap smears entail 20% false negative results. Prevention of endometrial carcinoma is even far more difficult in that endometrial smears are seldom practised. Periodic surveillance of women receiving oestrogenic hormonal therapy, addition of progesterone in order to eventually protect the endometrium, hysteroscopic detection of irregular endometrial hyperplasia, represent the only tools available today.

Colposcopy↗