A reliable, widely available method to detect osteoporosis prior to fracture is needed. Serum levels of C-reactive protein may independently predict low bone mineral density (BMD) and high fracture ...risk. Existing empirical data focus on sexually and/or racially homogenous populations. This study tests the hypotheses that: C-reactive protein (1) negatively correlates with BMD and (2) fracture history, and (3) independently predicts BMD and fracture history in a diverse population. NHANES 2017-2020 pre-pandemic cycle data were analyzed in R studio. Strength and direction of relationships (-1 to +1) between variables were determined using Kendall's rank correlation coefficient (tau). Linear models were optimized to predict femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD. C-reactive protein positively correlated with femoral (tau = 0.09, p<0.0001) and spine BMD (tau = 0.10, p<0.0001). Individuals identifying as female demonstrated more robust, but still weak, correlations between C-reactive protein and femoral neck (tau = 0.15, p<0.0001; male, tau = 0.06, p = 0.051) and spine BMD (tau = 0.16, p<0.0001; male, tau = 0.06, p = 0.04). C-reactive protein positively correlated with fracture history (tau = 0.083, p = 0.0009). C-reactive protein significantly predicted femoral neck (R.sup.2 = 0.022, p = 0.0001) and spine BMD (R.sup.2 = 0.028, p<0.0001) and fracture history (R.sup.2 = 0.015, p<0.0001). Exploratory analyses identified weight was the single best predictor for femoral neck (R.sup.2 = 0.24, p<0.0001) and spine BMD (R.sup.2 = 0.21, p<0.0001). In sum, C-reactive protein statistically correlates with and predicts femoral neck and spine BMD, but the magnitude is too low to be biologically meaningful. While weight is a more robust predictor, individuals who are overweight or obese account for nearly half of all osteoporotic fractures, limiting the predictive power of this variable at identifying individuals at risk for osteoporosis. Identification of a robust predictor of fracture risk in a diverse population and across of range of body weights and compositions is needed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background Readmission rates are used as a quality metric in medical and surgical specialties; however, little is known about obstetrics readmissions. Objective Our goals for this study were to ...describe the trends in postpartum readmissions over time; to characterize the common indications and associated diagnoses for readmissions; and to determine maternal, delivery, and hospital characteristics that may be associated with readmission. Study Design Postpartum readmissions occurring within the first 6 weeks after delivery in California, Florida, and New York were identified between 2004 and 2011 in State Inpatient Databases. Of the 5,949,739 eligible deliveries identified, 114,748 women were readmitted over the 8-year period. We calculated the rates of readmissions and their indications by state and over time. The characteristics of the readmission stay, including day readmitted, length of readmission, and charge for readmission, were compared among the diagnoses. Odds ratios were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression to determine the predictors of readmission. Results The readmission rate increased from 1.72% in 2004 to 2.16% in 2011. Readmitted patients were more likely to be publicly insured (54.3% vs 42.0%, P < .001), to be black (18.7% vs 13.5%, P < .001), to have comorbidities such as hypertension (15.3% vs 2.4%, P < 0.001) and diabetes (13.1% vs 6.8%, P < .001), and to have had a cesarean delivery (37.2% vs 32.9%, P < .001). The most common indications for readmission were infection (15.5%), hypertension (9.3%), and psychiatric illness (7.7%). Patients were readmitted, on average, 7 days after discharge, but readmission day varied by diagnosis: day 3 for hypertension, day 5 for infection, and day 9 for psychiatric disease. Maternal comorbidities were the strongest predictors of postpartum readmissions: psychiatric disease, substance use, seizure disorder, hypertension, and tobacco use. Conclusion Postpartum readmission rates have risen over the last 8 years. Understanding the risk factors, etiologies, and cause-specific timing for postpartum readmissions may aid in the development of new quality metrics in obstetrics and targeted strategies to curb the rising rate of postpartum readmissions in the United States.
Elective induction of labor (ie, without a maternal or fetal indication) is common in the United States. When using the correct comparison group (elective induction vs expectant management) induction ...is not associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery. Moreover, elective induction after 39 weeks seems to have maternal benefits (eg, lower infection rates) as well as a reduction in neonatal morbidity and the potential for a decrease in term stillbirth. However, these risks, especially stillbirth, are low in a healthy cohort and there are potential negative impacts on maternal satisfaction, breastfeeding, and cost/resource use that must be considered.
Induction of labor is common in the United States. Multiple previous studies have tried to outline a faster time to delivery to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
This study aimed to evaluate ...whether women who undergo induction of labor with a single-balloon catheter and oxytocin have a shorter time to delivery with planned removal of the catheter at 6 vs 12 hours.
In this randomized controlled trial, induction of labor was performed using a combination of single-balloon catheter and oxytocin. Term women, both nulliparous and multiparous, aged 18 to 50 years old with cephalic singletons were included if they were undergoing induction of labor with a Bishop score of <6 and cervical dilation of <2 cm. Women were randomized to planned removal of the single-balloon catheter at 6 hours vs 12 hours. The primary outcome was time from catheter insertion to delivery. We were powered to show a 4-hour time difference with a sample size of 89 women per group (n=178). Planned sensitivity analyses were performed to account for cesarean delivery in labor.
From February 2019 to June 2020, 237 women were screened, 178 women were randomized, and 177 women were included in the final analysis (89 women in the 6-hour group and 88 women in the 12-hour group). Insertion to delivery time was significantly shorter in the 6-hour group (19.2 vs 24.3 hours; P=.04), and the proportion of women delivered by 24 hours was significantly greater in the 6-hour group (67.4% vs 47.4%; P<.01). There was no difference in the Bishop score at removal of the catheter or secondary maternal or neonatal outcomes. In a Cox proportional-hazards model censoring for cesarean delivery, the 6-hour group had a significantly shorter insertion to delivery time (hazard ratio, 0.67; P=.02).
Induction of labor with a single-balloon catheter and oxytocin with planned removal of the catheter at 6 hours rather than 12 hours results in a shorter time from insertion to delivery without increasing the rate of cesarean delivery. Decreasing the length of time a single-balloon catheter is in place should be considered in clinical protocols.
Previous analyses have demonstrated the cost effectiveness of elective induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation for healthy nulliparous people. However, elective induction of labor is resource ...intensive, and optimal resource allocation requires a thorough understanding of which subgroups of patients will benefit most.
This study aimed to determine whether induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation is more cost-effective in patients with favorable or unfavorable cervical examinations.
We constructed 2 decision analysis models using TreeAge software: one modeling induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation vs expectant management for a group of nulliparous patients with unfavorable cervical examinations and the other modeling induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation vs expectant management for a group with favorable cervical examinations. Estimates of cost, probability, and health state utility were derived from the literature. Based on previous literature, we assumed that people with favorable cervical examinations would have a lower baseline rate of cesarean delivery and higher rates of spontaneous labor.
In our base case analysis, induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation was cost-effective for patients with unfavorable cervical examinations, but not for patients with favorable cervical examinations. The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year was 50-fold lower for people with unfavorable cervical examinations ($2150 vs $115,100). Induction of labor resulted in 3885 fewer cesarean deliveries and 58 fewer stillbirths per 100,000 patients for those with unfavorable examinations, whereas induction of labor resulted in 2293 fewer cesarean deliveries and 48 fewer stillbirths with labor induction for those with favorable cervical examinations. The results were sensitive to multiple inputs, including the likelihood of cesarean delivery, the cost of induction, the cost of vaginal or cesarean delivery, and the probability of spontaneous labor. In Monte Carlo analysis, the base case findings held true for 64.1% of modeled scenarios for patients with unfavorable cervixes and 55.4% of modeled scenarios for patients with favorable cervixes.
With a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year, induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation may be cost-effective for patients with unfavorable cervical examinations, but not for patients with favorable cervical examinations. This result was driven by the likelihood of labor in patients with favorable cervical examinations, and the resultant avoidance of prolonged pregnancy and its complications, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and stillbirths. Health systems may wish to prioritize patients with unfavorable cervical examinations for elective induction of labor at 39 weeks of gestation, which may be opposite to common practice.
The skeletal and immune systems are intricately intertwined within the bone marrow microenvironment, a field of study termed osteoimmunology. Osteoimmune interactions are key players in bone ...homeostasis and remodeling. Despite the critical role of the immune system in bone health, virtually all animal research in osteoimmunology, and more broadly bone biology, relies on organisms with naïve immune systems. Drawing on insights from osteoimmunology, evolutionary anthropology, and immunology, this perspective proposes the use of a novel translational model: the dirty mouse. Dirty mice, characterized by diverse exposures to commensal and pathogenic microbes, have mature immune systems comparable to adult humans, while the naïve immune system of specific-pathogen free mice is akin to a neonate. Investigation into the dirty mouse model will likely yield important insights in our understanding of bone diseases and disorders. A high benefit of this model is expected for diseases known to have a connection between overactivation of the immune system and negative bone outcomes, including aging and osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, obesity and diabetes, bone marrow metastases, and bone cancers.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the most common cause of postpartum readmission. Prior research led to clinical guidelines for postpartum management; however, the patient experience is ...often missing from this work. The objective of this study is to understand the perspective of patients readmitted for postpartum hypertension.
This was a qualitative study with data generated through semi-structured interviews. Patients readmitted with postpartum HDP at an urban academic medical center from February to December 2022 were approached and consented for an interview. The same researcher conducted all interviews and patient recruitment continued until thematic saturation was reached (n = 9). Two coders coded all interviews using Nvivo software with both deductive and inductive coding processes. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved with consensus among the two coders. Themes were identified through an initial a priori template of codes which were expanded upon using grounded theory, and researchers were reflexive in their thematic generation.
Six themes were generated: every pregnancy is different, symptoms of preeclampsia are easily dismissed or minimized by both patient and providers, miscommunication regarding medical changes can increase the risk of readmissions, postpartum care coordination and readmission logistics at our hospital could be improved to facilitate caring for a newborn, postpartum care is often considered separately from the rest of pregnancy, and patient well-being improved when conversations acknowledged the struggles of readmission.
This qualitative research study revealed patient-identified gaps in care that may have led to readmission for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The specific recommendations that emerge from these themes include addressing barriers to blood pressure management prior to discharge, improving postpartum discharge follow-up, providing newborn care coordination, and improving counseling on the risk of postpartum preeclampsia during discharge. Incorporating these patient perspectives in hospital discharge policy can be helpful in creating patient-centered systems of care and may help reduce rates of readmission.
Citing the risks of administering anesthesia to patients with obesity, few fertility centers offer in vitro fertilization as a treatment modality for patients with body mass indexes ≥40 kg/m2. ...Although previous studies have assessed clinical pregnancy and cumulative live birth rates in patients who spontaneously conceive with body mass indexes ≥50 kg/m2, there is a paucity of in vitro fertilization, obstetrical, and neonatal outcome data in patients with severe obesity who conceive after in vitro fertilization.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of increasing body mass index on in vitro fertilization, obstetrical, and neonatal outcomes in patients with obesity undergoing in vitro fertilization.
This was a retrospective cohort study within an academic fertility center including 2069 fresh in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and frozen embryo transfer cycles from January 1, 2012 to April 30, 2020; this cohort was used to determine in vitro fertilization treatment outcomes. A second embedded cohort of 867 fresh in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and frozen embryo transfer cycles that resulted in ongoing clinical pregnancies and deliveries within a single tertiary hospital system was used to determine pregnancy, maternal, and neonatal outcomes. All patients with a body mass index ≥40 kg/m2 underwent consultation with a maternal–fetal medicine specialist before starting treatment and a preoperative evaluation with an anesthesiologist before oocyte retrieval. Cycles were grouped by body mass index at cycle start (30–34.9, 35–39.9, 40–44.9, 45–49.9, and ≥50 kg/m2). Log-binomial regression and Poisson regression with an offset were fitted with body mass index of 30 to 34.9 kg/m2 as the reference group, adjusting for potential confounders including oocyte age, patient age, embryo quality, transfer type, and coexisting comorbidities. The primary outcome was live birth rate. Secondary outcomes included fertilization rate, blastulation rate, miscarriage rate, incidence of preeclampsia with severe features, gestational diabetes, labor induction, cesarean delivery, preterm delivery, and birthweight.
There were 2069 fresh in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and frozen embryo transfer cycle starts from January 1, 2012 to April 30, 2020. Of these, 1008 cycles were in the 30 to 34.9 kg/m2 group, 547 in the 35 to 39.9 kg/m2 group, 277 in the 40 to 44.9 kg/m2 group, 161 in the 45 to 49.9 kg/m2 group, and 76 in the ≥50 kg/m2 body mass index group. Live birth rate was not significantly different between groups. The body mass index ≥50 kg/m2 group was significantly more likely to experience preeclampsia with severe features when compared with the 30 to 34.9 kg/m2 body mass index group (absolute risk reduction, 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–6.67). Fertilization rate, blastulation rate, miscarriage rate, incidence of gestational diabetes, labor induction, cesarean delivery, preterm delivery, and neonatal birthweights were not significantly different between groups.
Among patients with body mass indexes from 30 to 60 kg/m2 who conceived via in vitro fertilization and received comprehensive prenatal care at a tertiary care hospital, in vitro fertilization, obstetrical, and neonatal outcomes were largely comparable. These data support a collaborative care approach with maternal–fetal medicine specialists and skilled anesthesiologists, reinforcing the notion that in vitro fertilization should not be withheld as a treatment modality from patients with obesity.
We aimed to examine the relationship of sociodemographic variables with racial/ethnic disparities in unplanned cesarean births in a large academic hospital system. Secondarily, we investigated the ...relationship of these variables with differences in cesarean delivery indication, cesarean delivery timing, length of second stage and operative delivery.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of births >34 weeks between 2017 and 2019. Our primary outcome was unplanned cesarean delivery after a trial of labor. Multiple gestations, vaginal birth after cesarean, elective repeat or primary cesarean delivery, and contraindications for vaginal delivery were excluded. Associations between mode of delivery and patient characteristics were assessed using Chi-square, Fisher exact tests, or
-tests. Odds ratios were estimated by multivariate logistic regression. Goodness of fit was assessed with Hosmer Lemeshow test.
Among 18,946 deliveries, the rate of cesarean delivery was 14.8% overall and 21.3% in nulliparous patients. After adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), and parity, women of Black and Asian races had significantly increased odds of unplanned cesarean delivery; 1.69 (95% CI: 1.45,1.96) and 1.23 (1.08, 1.40), respectively. Single Hispanic women had adjusted odds of 1.65 (1.08, 2.54). Single women had increased adjusted odds of cesarean delivery of 1.18, (1.05, 1.31). Fetal intolerance was the indication for 39% (613) of cesarean deliveries among White women as compared to 63% (231) of Black women and 49% (71) of Hispanic women (
<0.001).
Rates of unplanned cesarean delivery were significantly higher in Black and Asian compared to White women, even after adjustment for age, BMI, parity, and zip code income strata, and rates of unplanned cesarean delivery were higher for Hispanic women self-identifying as single. Racial and ethnic differences were seen in cesarean delivery indications and operative vaginal deliveries. Future work is urgently needed to better understand differences in provider care or patient attributes, and potential provider bias, that may contribute to these findings.
· Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences exist in the odds of unplanned cesarean.. · Indications for unplanned cesarean delivery differed significantly among racial and ethnic groups.. · There may be unmeasured provider level factors which contribute to disparities in cesarean rates..