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Biomedical subjects

N G Haddad

Publications and source records attributed to N G Haddad.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Increased neutrophil activation in diabetic pregnancy and in nonpregnant diabetic women.

Human neutrophil elastase may be a mediator of vascular damage, and enhanced neutrophil reactivity could contribute to the susceptibility of pregnant diabetic women to vascular complications. Elevated plasma levels of neutrophil elastase will reflect neutrophil activation in vivo. The aim of this study was to determine whether neutrophil activation occurs in uncomplicated diabetic pregnancy. We studied 30 normal nonpregnant women, 20 nonpregnant diabetic women, 32 nondiabetic women with normal pregnancies, and 17 insulin-requiring pregnant diabetic patients. Plasma neutrophil elastase was measured by radioimmunoassay. There was a significantly higher concentration of plasma neutrophil elastase in normal pregnant women compared with the nonpregnant group (P less than .001). The nonpregnant diabetic group had significantly higher concentrations than the normal nonpregnant group (P less than .002). The pregnant diabetic group had significantly higher concentrations than the nonpregnant diabetic group (P less than .001) and the normal pregnant group (P less than .05). The high concentrations of plasma neutrophil elastase may contribute to the greater sensitivity of pregnant diabetic patients to vascular complications.

Adult↗

Umbilical artery Doppler flow velocity waveform: the outcome of pregnancies with absent end diastolic flow.

We have studied doppler recordings of flow velocity waveform of the umbilical artery in 380 high-risk pregnancies and 160 patients with uncomplicated pregnancies. The results were not used in clinical management. In 24 cases, all in high-risk pregnancies, there was absence of end diastolic flow (AEDF). Four babies died, 22 out of 24 weighted less than the 5th centile for gestation and 20 were delivered by Caesarean Section. With only four exceptions, all fetuses showed other evidence of antenatal fetal compromise, though this was delayed in some cases for up to 24 days. AEDF does not appear to prejudice neonatal outcome. All six babies born weighing 750-999 g survived. In addition, 4 patients continued their pregnancy for 3-6 weeks after the first doppler with AEDF. Only one of the 4 developed other evidence of fetal compromise and two had vaginal deliveries. In our experience, AEDF is found only in abnormal pregnancy, and is a very serious sign of likely fetal compromise. It is an indication for extremely careful surveillance but not necessarily an indication for delivery.

Blood Pressure↗

Determination of the presence of fetal apnoea using umbilical artery and umbilical vein Doppler waveforms.

Fetal breathing movements were observed using real-time ultrasound imaging. Simultaneous Doppler recordings of the flow velocity waveform from the umbilical artery and umbilical vein were obtained. Twenty patients were studied. The Doppler traces obtained during fetal apnoea and fetal breathing for each patient were analysed using a BBC microcomputer. A combination of venous variation index (VVI) and the coefficient of variation of arterial pulsatility index (CVPI) gave complete separation between breathing and apnoeic groups (lower values of VVI and CVPI being associated with the apnoeic group). Hence, when stand alone continuous wave Doppler units are used to acquire umbilical artery Doppler waveforms during fetal apnoea, the presence of apnoea can be determined using the variability of the arterial and venous trace without the need for visualisation of the fetus using imaging equipment.

Apnea↗

Umbilical artery Doppler waveform in pregnancies with uncomplicated intra-uterine growth retardation.

Seventy-four pregnancies with uncomplicated intra-uterine growth retardation were assessed at the time of diagnosis by Doppler ultrasound umbilical artery flow velocity waveform. The results were not disclosed to the clinicians. Only those pregnancies with a complete absence of pre-existing disease or pregnancy complications were included. Ten patients showed evidence of fetal compromise due to asphyxia either before or during labour. In all cases the umbilical artery flow velocity waveform had been abnormal, and this abnormality always preceded cardiotocogram abnormality by up to 5 weeks. Though the resistance index was significantly associated with birth weight (p less than 0.001), this relationship was clearly dependent on the compromised fetuses who tended to be very small, and the true association is probably between resistance index and compromise, with birth weight being an intervening variable.

Adult↗

The effects of placental site on the arcuate artery flow velocity waveform.

Eighty-three consecutive patients were studied to determine the effect of placental site on the arcuate artery flow velocity waveform. The resistance indices derived from signals obtained from the placental side of the uterus were significantly lower than those derived from signals obtained from the nonplacental side. Doppler studies of the uteroplacental circulation should be performed preferably with knowledge of the placental site.

Arteries↗