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Biomedical subjects

J R Leiberman

Publications and source records attributed to J R Leiberman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Limulus amebocyte lysate assay for diagnosing intraamniotic infection].

The value of the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay (LAL) in the diagnosis of intraamniotic infection was determined in amniotic fluid from transabdominal amniocenteses in 51 women in preterm labor with intact membranes. The prevalence of positive amniotic fluid cultures was 21.5% (11/51) in detecting intraamniotic infection. The LAL was positive in 19.6% (10/51), its sensitivity 81.8% (9/11), specificity 97.5% (39/40), positive predictive value 90.0% (9/10), and negative predictive value 95.1% (39/41). Similarly, in detecting women who would fail tocolysis and deliver prematurely, its sensitivity was 27.6% (8/29), specificity 90.9% (20/22), positive predictive value 80% (8/10), and negative predictive value 48.8% (20/41). We conclude that LAL is a simple, rapid and sensitive test for detecting intraamniotic infection in women in preterm labor.

Amniotic Fluid

[Resistance in uterine arcuate arteries of pregnant hypertensive patients].

Hypertensive pregnant women were examined by continuous Doppler-ultrasound to measure resistance to blood flow in the uterine arcuate arteries. 20/26 had increased resistance. Those with bilateral increased resistance delivered after a mean of 33.2 weeks of pregnancy, 46.1% of them by cesarean section, and the mean birthweight was 1743 g. Those with unilateral increased resistance delivered after a mean of 38.0 weeks, 28.5% by cesarean section, and the mean birthweight was 2813 g. Measurement of blood flow by the Doppler method seems to be useful in the management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, as it helps to assess deficiency of the uterine circulation.

Arteries

Cesarean section by local anesthesia in patients with familial dysautonomia.

We describe a 29-year-old patient with familial dysautonomia who underwent cesarean section because of severe intrauterine fetal growth retardation. The surgery was done after induction of local anesthesia to avoid the critical and sometimes fatal complications of general anesthesia known in patients with familial dysautonomia. Surgery was uneventful and almost painless. The postoperative period was without complications. Induction of local anesthesia for cesarean section may constitute a suitable alternative in patients with familial dysautonomia.

Adult

Reduced frequency of hypertensive disorders in placenta previa.

The isthmic segment of the uterine artery's ascending branch has a freer course and wider diameter than distal parts of the vessel. Therefore, we assumed that this arterial segment would provide better blood flow and prevent hypoxia of the trophoblast. As a result, placenta previa pregnancies would be complicated by hypertensive disorders less often than are pregnancies with normally implanted placentas. To test this hypothesis, 491 placenta previa pregnancies, among a population of 106,866 pregnant women, were compared with pregnancies with normally implanted placentas. Clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions in the rates and risks of hypertensive disorders were found in placenta previa pregnancies (P = .002, relative risk = 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.78). The differences persisted when primiparous and multiparous women were examined separately and when preterm and term deliveries were separated. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients with placenta previa had a third of the risk for hypertensive disorders compared with pregnant women with normally implanted placentas (relative risk = 0.36, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.64), even after controlling for parity and preterm or term delivery. In the same model, primiparity and preterm delivery were each associated with a doubling of risk for hypertensive disorders, regardless of the placental implantation site. Thus, regardless of parity and preterm or term delivery, placenta previa and hypertensive disorders are inversely related.

Adult

Management of post-date pregnancy: a case control study.

Post-date pregnancy is associated with higher rates of perinatal mortality and morbidity. The purpose of the present study was to compare the outcome of 200 post-date pregnancies, managed according to our protocol, to a matched control group of 200 healthy pregnant women delivered at term. The management protocol was based mainly on the pelvic score and nonstress test. Higher rates of labor induction, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, fetal distress, instrumental deliveries and cesarean sections were found in post-date pregnancies than in the control group (40% vs. 3% P = 0.0001, 31% vs. 15.5% P = 0.00001, 18.5% vs. 9.5% P = 0.007, 8% vs. 3% P = 0.02, 12.5% vs. 4% P = 0.002 respectively). Neonatal birth weight in the study group was significantly higher than in the control group (3,484.3 +/- 410.7 vs. 3,218.4 +/- 407.8 g P less than 0.001). Despite these differences between the groups, the perinatal morbidity and mortality rates were similar. These results can be partially attributed to the early antenatal monitoring and intensive follow-up.

Apgar Score

Factors influencing birth weight in newborns of diabetic and non-diabetic women. A population based study.

Maternal diabetes is known to be related to an increase in birth weight of the offspring. However, the mechanism of the association is not entirely clear. In addition, the contribution of the demographic, obstetric and metabolic factors to birth weight in diabetic mothers is not well defined. All the diabetic women (68 requiring insulin-treatment and 403 on diet alone) and a random sample of 1 in 12 of all non-diabetic women (893 women) who delivered in one regional hospital between March 1987 and June 1988 inclusive, were included in the study. Tests for gestational diabetes are routinely performed in our pregnant women population, thus, the study is a population based one. The mean birth weight of infants of diabetic mothers adjusted for gestational age was higher than in those of non-diabetic mothers. However, no relationship was found between maternal glycosylated hemoglobin measured at delivery and the infants birth weight. Furthermore, at each week of gestation, infants born to diabetic mothers were heavier than the infants of non-diabetic mothers (for weeks 37 to 40, p less than 0.05), while no differences were found in glycosylated hemoglobin levels between the two groups at any time. In a multivariate model we showed that after controlling for gestational age, the only factors which independently and significantly affected birth weight in our population were diabetes, ethnic origin, and the parity of the mother. Our findings support the possibility that substances which induce hyperinsulinemia, other than glucose, may be related to the higher birth weight of infants of diabetic mothers.

Adult

Uterine artery estrogen receptors in the nonpregnant and pregnant guinea pig.

Uterine artery, heart, and aorta or carotid specimens of nonpregnant, midpregnant, and term pregnant guinea pigs were examined for estrogen receptors by immunocytochemical methods. Estrogen receptors were found in the nuclei of cells in the endothelial, muscle, and adventitia layers of the uterine artery wall. The concentration of estrogen receptors was slightly higher in nonpregnant and term pregnant animals than in midpregnancy. No estrogen receptors were found in the heart, aorta, or carotid specimens of all animals. These results confirm the uterine artery as a target organ of estrogen action that would eventually lead to arterial functional adaptation in different biologic periods.

Animals

Twinning in southern Israel. Seasonal variation and effects of ethnicity, maternal age and parity.

Seasonality of births in southern Israel was examined in two populations, Jews and Bedouins, with distinctly different life-styles. The study included 1,444 twin births that occurred between the years 1970 and 1986. The peak month for the birth of monozygotic twins was September in both populations, while the maximum number of deliveries occurred in January for the Bedouins and August for the Jews. Of Jewish dizygotic twin births, higher rates were found from July to December. In addition, the peak months of singleton births in women aged 35 years and older and in women of high parity did not coincide with the peak months of multiple births. Maternal age and parity have been shown to greatly influence twin birth rates. The autumnal peak we found, which was independent of ethnic origin and its associated cultural and sociologic differences, was also independent of maternal age and parity and was consistent with findings in other populations in the northern hemisphere. That finding suggests that a seasonal factor, as yet undefined, affects the rates of multiple births.

Ethnicity

Changes in amniotic fluid concentrations of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha in women with preterm labor.

There is a paucity of data regarding the concentration of prostaglandins (PGs) in the amniotic fluid of women with preterm labor. The purpose of this study was to determine if preterm labor is associated with changes in amniotic fluid concentration of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha. Amniotic fluid was retrieved by transabdominal amniocentesis from women with preterm labor and intact membranes. Patients were classified into three groups according to the response to tocolysis and the presence or absence of intra-amniotic infection. PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were measured using specific and sensitive RIA kits. Amniotic fluid concentrations of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were significantly higher in women with preterm labor and intra-amniotic infection than in women without infection, regardless of the response to tocolysis. These data suggest that both PGs are involved in the mechanism of preterm labor and may have prognostic value.

Amniotic Fluid

Twinning in southern Israel; secular trends, ethnic variation and effects of maternal age and parity.

Twin births in southern Israel between 1970 and 1986 were examined in the Jewish and Bedouin populations. An increase in dizygotic twinning in the whole population, largely due to an increase of rate in the Bedouin population was found. The dizygotic twinning rate in the Bedouin population rose until it reached the level found in the Jewish population. No change with time was found in the monozygotic twinning rates in either population. This suggests that while dizygotic twinning rates are influenced by environmental factors, the monozygotic twinning rates are not. The effects of maternal age and parity on dizygotic and monozygotic twinning rates differed in the two ethnic groups examined. In the Jewish population the dizygotic twinning rate was related to maternal age and parity, while in the Bedouins only maternal age affects the rate. The monozygotic twinning rate has an inverted U shape with maternal age in the Jewish population and is linearly related to maternal age in Bedouin women. No effect of parity on the Jewish monozygotic twinning rate is found but this rate is directly affected by parity in Bedouin women. The effects of maternal age and parity together were examined in both populations. Both maternal age and parity affected the twinning rates; however, the effects are not additive and no interaction between maternal age and parity was found.

Adult

Beta-thromboglobulin in pre-eclampsia.

Beta-thromboglobulin was tested in blood and urine in a study group of pre-eclamptic patients. The control group comprised a subgroup of normal non-pregnant women and a second subgroup of normal pregnant women. The results of the plasma beta-thromboglobulin blood test revealed no significant difference between the groups, whereas the urine of the pre-eclamptic group showed a significantly increased concentration of beta-thromboglobulin. This difference may reflect renal involvement in the pre-eclamptic patients; the turnover of platelets may be increased but the plasma level of beta-thromboglobulin is apparently maintained by the increased renal clearance.

Adult

The fetal right to live.

There is an ethical and legal problem for obstetricians when a pregnant patient, before or during labor, is notified by her physician that the fetus is in danger of dying and in need of surgical intervention, and she does not accept this advice. Such a case may occur for various reasons. This report attempts to address the issue of the fetus' right to life and the legal aspects thereof according to the laws of different countries. We accept the fact that the fetus has a legal right to live and the parents are the natural guardians. If the child is capable of being born alive and the patient does not consent to being subjected to a given treatment directed to save the fetus, the doctor must be legally entitled to warn the patient that she is committing a felony.

Adult

The cervical balloon method for induction of labor.

The cervical balloon (Embrey & Mollison) was used to induce labor in a study group of 87 patients. The control group included 97 patients, where induction of labor was performed using oxytocin-drip. In the study group oxytocin-drip was added in 34 patients. The cases of the study and control groups were classified as "favorable" cervix. The patients classified as "unfavorable" cervix showed a shorter mean induction-delivery interval in the study group, and a shorter mean duration of oxytocin-drip in the cases of the study group where it was needed. It was concluded that the cervical balloon is a convenient method for the induction of labor, for its effectivity, simplicity and innocuity, especially in the "unfavorable" cervix cases.

Adult