METHODS: Women at their first hospitalization for hyperemesis gravidarum were approached when intravenous antiemetic therapy was needed. They were randomly assigned to receive 25 mg promethazine or 10 mg metoclopramide every 8 hours for 24 hours in a double-blind study. Primary outcomes were vomiting episodes by diary and well-being visual numerical rating scale score (10-point scale) in the 24-hour main study period. Participants also filled out an adverse-effects questionnaire at 24 hours and a nausea visual numerical rating scale score at recruitment and at 8, 16, and 24 hours.
RESULTS: A total of 73 and 76 women, randomized to metoclopramide and promethazine, respectively, were analyzed. Median vomiting episodes were one (range 0-26) compared with two (range 0-26) (P=.81), and well-being visual numerical rating scale scores were 8 (range 1-10) compared with 7 (range 2-10) (P=.24) for metoclopramide and promethazine, respectively. Repeat-measures analysis of variance of the nausea visual numerical rating scale scores showed no significant difference between study drugs (F score=0.842, P=.47). Reported drowsiness (58.6% compared with 83.6%, P=.001, number needed to treat to benefit [NNTb] 5), dizziness (34.3% compared with 71.2%, P
METHODS: Patients (n = 94) scheduled for gynaecological laparotomy received i.v. fentanyl infusion (3 μg/kg/h) after induction of general anaesthesia. Post-operative fentanyl requirements were quantified by using a patient-controlled analgesia and the number of i.v. fentanyl rescue analgesia required were recorded. Pain control was assessed using visual analogue scores (VAS) and fentanyl's adverse effects were documented. CYP3A4*4, CYP3A4*5 and CYP3A4*18 alleles of cytochrome P450 3A4 were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Differences in fentanyl requirements, VAS scores and adverse effects among the various genotypes were compared.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: No CYP3A4*4 and CYP3A4*5 alleles were detected. Eighty-nine patients (94·7%) were wild-type, five (5·3%) were heterozygous and none was homozygous. No significant difference was demonstrated between the genotype groups in terms of fentanyl consumption, pain control and adverse effects.
WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: CYP3A4*4 and CYP3A4*5 are rare in the Malaysian Malay population. Genetic polymorphism of CYP3A4*18 may not play an important role in influencing postoperative fentanyl requirements.
METHODS: Women at term with one transverse lower segment cesarean delivery who were suitable for and who planned VBAC were approached to participate. Participants were randomly assigned to weekly membrane sweeping or weekly vaginal assessment for Bishop score until delivery. Participants and delivery providers were blinded to the allocated treatment. Standard obstetric care was given to all participants. The primary outcome was onset of labor which was defined as the presence of spontaneous regular and painful contractions that cause cervical dilation to at least 3 cm or prelabor rupture of membranes. Secondary outcomes included induction of labor and repeat cesarean delivery.
RESULTS: One hundred eight women were randomly assigned to membrane sweeping and 105 to control. The spontaneous labor rate was 78.5% compared with 72.1% (relative risk [RR] 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-1.3; P=.34), the induction of labor rate was 12.1% compared with 9.6% (RR 1.3, 95% CI 0.6-2.8; P=.66), and the all-cause cesarean delivery rate was 40.2% compared with 44.2% (RR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7-1.2; P=.58) for the membrane sweeping and control groups, respectively. Gestational age at delivery (mean+/-standard deviation) of 39.6+/-1.0 weeks for the membrane sweeping group compared with 39.6+/-0.9 weeks for the control group (P=.84) was no different.
CONCLUSION: Serial membrane sweeping at term in women who planned VBAC has no significant effect on the onset of labor, pregnancy duration, induction of labor, or repeat cesarean delivery.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, isrctn.org, ISRCTN55163179.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.
METHOD: TVS of the cervix was performed before term labor induction. Induction was considered successful if vaginal delivery was achieved within 24 hours; 231 women were available for final analysis.
RESULTS: Analysis of the receiver operator characteristics curve showed an optimal cut-off for cervical length of < or = 20 mm for successful induction. Following multivariate logistic regression analysis, a sonographic short cervix (AOR 5.6; p < 0.001) was an independent predictor of successful induction but not a favorable Bishop score (p = 0.47). Among multiparas with a short cervix, positive and negative predictive values for successful induction were 98% (95% CI 90-100%) and 21% (95% CI 13%-32%) and among nulliparas, predictive values were 69% (95% CI 53%-82%) and 77% (95% CI 64%-87%) respectively.
CONCLUSION: In nulliparas, cervical length can usefully predict labor induction outcome.
METHODS: Parous women with favorable cervixes after amniotomy for labor induction were randomized to immediate titrated oxytocin or placebo intravenous infusion in a double-blind noninferiority trial. After 4 hours, study infusions were stopped, the women were assessed, and open-label oxytocin was started if required. Maternal satisfaction with the birth process was assessed with a 10-point visual numerical rating scale (lower score, greater satisfaction).
RESULTS: Vaginal delivery rates at 12 hours were 91 of 96 (94.8%) compared with 91 of 94 (96.8%) (relative risk 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92-1.04, P=.72), and maternal satisfaction on a visual numerical rating scale (median [interquartile range]) was 3 [3-4] compared with 3 [3-5], P=.36 for immediate compared with delayed arm, respectively). Cesarean delivery, maternal fever, postpartum hemorrhage, uterine hyperactivity, and adverse neonatal outcome rates were similar between arms. The immediate oxytocin arm had a shorter amniotomy-to-delivery interval of 5.3±3.1 compared with 6.9±2.9 hours (P
METHODS: A double blind randomized trial. 103 women scheduled to receive two doses of 12-mg intramuscular dexamethasone 12-hour apart were separately randomized to take prophylactic metformin or placebo after stratification according to their gestational diabetes (GDM) status. First oral dose of allocated study drug was taken at enrolment and continued 500 mg twice daily for 72 hours if not delivered. Six-point blood sugar profiles were obtained each day (pre- and two-hour post breakfast, lunch and dinner) for up to three consecutive days. A hyperglycemic episode is defined as capillary glucose fasting/pre-meal ≥ 5.3 mmol/L or two-hour post prandial/meal ≥ 6.7 mmol/L. Primary outcome was hyperglycemic episodes on Day-1 (first six blood sugar profile points) following antenatal corticosteroids.
RESULTS: Number of hyperglycemic episodes on the first day were not significantly different (mean ± standard deviation) 3.9 ± 1.4 (metformin) vs. 4.1 ± 1.6 (placebo) p = 0.64. Hyperglycemic episodes markedly reduced on second day in both arms to 0.9 ± 1.0 (metformin) vs. 1.2 ± 1.0 (placebo) p = 0.15 and further reduced to 0.6 ± 1.0 (metformin) vs. 0.7 ± 1.0 (placebo) p = 0.67 on third day. Hypoglycemic episodes during the 3-day study period were few and all other secondary outcomes were not significantly different.
CONCLUSIONS: In euglycemic and diet controllable gestational diabetes mellitus women, antenatal corticosteroids cause sustained maternal hyperglycemia only on Day-1. The magnitude of Day-1 hyperglycemia is generally low. Prophylactic metformin does not reduce antenatal corticosteroids' hyperglycemic effect.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered in the ISRCTN registry on May 4 2017 with trial identifier https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10156101 .
DESIGN: A prospective study.
SETTING: A tertiary hospital in Malaysia.
POPULATION: A cohort of 193 term nulliparous women with intact membranes.
METHODS: Prior to labour induction, cervical fluid was obtained via a vaginal speculum and tested for IGFBP-1, followed by TVUS and finally Bishop score. After each assessment the procedure-related pain was scored from 0 to 10. Cut-off values for Bishop score and cervical length were obtained from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.
MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Vaginal delivery and vaginal delivery within 24 hours of starting induction.
RESULTS: Bedside IGFBP-1 testing is better tolerated than Bishop score, but is less well tolerated than TVUS [median (interquartile range) of pain scores: 5 (4-5) versus 6 (5-7) versus 3 (2-3), respectively; P < 0.001]. IGFBP-1 independently predicted vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio, AOR 5.5; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 2.3-12.9) and vaginal delivery within 24 hours of induction (AOR 4.9; 95% CI 2.1-11.6) after controlling for Bishop score (≥4 or ≥5), cervical length (≤29 or ≤27 mm), and other significant characteristics for which the Bishop score and TVUS were not predictive of vaginal delivery after adjustment. IGFBP-1 has 81% sensitivity, 59% specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 82 and 58%, respectively, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 2.0 and 0.3 for vaginal delivery, respectively.
CONCLUSION: IGFBP-1 better predicted vaginal delivery than BS or TVUS, and may help guide decision making regarding labour induction in nulliparous women.
TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: IGFBP-1: a stronger independent predictor of labour induction success than Bishop score or cervical sonography.