NSIDRC Journal Article Alert — December
28, 2007
Prepared by the National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center
at Georgetown University.
This journal article alert provides selected items added to
the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed database in
the last week.
Past issues of NSIDRC journal alerts are available at http://www.sidscenter.org.
Availability of full-text journal articles is often limited to
subscribers or through inter-library loan. Please see
your local library for copies of these articles, or view PubMed's
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more details.
Sudden Infant Death
1. Caccamese J, Costello BJ, Ruiz RL, Ritter AM.
Positional plagiocephaly: evaluation and management.
Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2004 Nov;16(4):439-46.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of
Maryland Medical System, 419 West Redwood Street, Suite 410,
Baltimore, MD 21043, USA.
Positional plagiocephaly is a cranial vault deformation in
the presence of open cranial vault sutures with no negative
neurologic consequences. A distinct morphologic pattern and
patent cranial sutures noted on confirmatory radiographic studies
distinguish positional plagiocephaly from abnormal head shapes
secondary to craniosynostosis. Management consists of conservative
(nonsurgical) means, depending on the extent of the cranial
asymmetry and any contributing etiologic factors. Clinicians
must be well versed in the differential diagnosis of plagiocephaly
to determine if treatment should be surgical or nonsurgical.
Positional plagiocephaly is a nonsynostotic condition in which
there is a deformation of the cranial vault in the presence
of otherwise open, normally functioning sutures. The reported
incidence of positional plagiocephaly has increased with the
implementation of "Back to Sleep" guidelines for
the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatricians
also have maintained an increased awareness of the importance
of early referral for evaluation of abnormal head shape during
infancy.
2. Heron M.
Deaths: leading causes for 2004.
Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2007 Nov 20;56(5):1-95.
Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD
20782, USA.
OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2004 data on the 10
leading causes of death in the United States by age, race,
sex, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant, neonatal,
and postneonatal death are also presented. This report supplements
the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data
in this report are based on information from all death certificates
filed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2004.
Causes of death classified by the International Classification
of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) are ranked according to
the number of deaths assigned to rankable causes. RESULTS:
In 2004, the 10 leading causes of death were (in rank order)
Diseases of heart; Malignant neoplasms; Cerebrovascular diseases;
Chronic lower respiratory diseases; Accidents (unintentional
injuries); Diabetes mellitus; Alzheimer's disease; Influenza
and pneumonia; Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis;
and Septicemia and accounted for about 78 percent of all deaths
occurring in the United States. Differences in the ranking
are evident by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Leading
causes of infant death for 2004 were (in rank order) Congenital
malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities;
Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight,
not elsewhere classified; Sudden infant death syndrome; Newborn
affected by maternal complications of pregnancy; Accidents
(unintentional injuries); Newborn affected by complications
of placenta, cord and membranes; Respiratory distress of newborn;
Bacterial sepsis of newborn; Neonatal hemorrhage; and Diseases
of the circulatory system. Important variation in the leading
causes of infant death is noted for the neonatal and postneonatal
periods.
3. Smith DR.
Ten citation classics from the New Zealand Medical Journal.
N Z Med J. 2007 Dec 14;120(1267):U2871.
International Centre for Research Promotion and Informatics,
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kawasaki,
Japan. smith@h.jniosh.go.jp
Although their contribution may go unrecognised at the time,
if journal citations are indeed the "currency" of
science, then citation classics could justifiably be regarded
as the "gold bullion". This article examines the
10 most highly-cited articles published by the New Zealand
Medical Journal (NZMJ), as of August 2007. By topic, the top
cited article described a study of risk factors for sudden
infant death syndrome among New Zealand infants, while 3 of
the remaining 9 articles focused on asthma. Most citation classics
from the NZMJ were comparatively recent, with the top cited
article being published in 1991, 7 having been published in
the 1980s, and 2 in the 1970s. Overall, this study clearly
demonstrates the international relevance of New Zealand medical
researchers, and the significant global impact of their findings
for human health.
Miscarriage/Stillbirth/Prenatal Issues
1. Savitz DA, Chan RL, Herring AH, Howards PP, Hartmann KE.
Caffeine and Miscarriage Risk.
Epidemiology. 2008 Jan;19(1):55-62.
From the *Department of Community and Preventive Medicine,
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York; Departments
of †Epidemiology and ‡Biostatistics, University
of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North
Carolina; §Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention
Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development,
Bethesda, Maryland; and ¶Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville,
Tennessee.
BACKGROUND:: Coffee and caffeine have been inconsistently
found to be associated with increased risk of clinical miscarriage-a
potentially important association given the high prevalence
of exposure. METHODS:: Women were recruited before or early
in pregnancy and interviewed regarding sources of caffeine,
including assessment of changes over the perinatal period.
We identified 2407 clinically-recognized pregnancies resulting
in 258 pregnancy losses. We examined the relationship of coffee
and caffeine intake with clinically-recognized pregnancy loss
prior to 20 weeks' completed gestation, using a discrete-time
continuation ratio logistic survival model. RESULTS:: Coffee
and caffeine consumption at all 3 time points were unrelated
to total miscarriage risk and the risk of loss after the interview.
Reported exposure at the time of the interview was associated
with increased risk among those with losses before the interview.
CONCLUSIONS:: There is little indication of possible harmful
effects of caffeine on miscarriage risk within the range of
coffee and caffeine consumption reported, with a suggested
reporting bias among women with losses before the interview.
The results may reflect exposure misclassification and unmeasured
heterogeneity of pregnancy losses.
2. Frost J, Bradley H, Levitas R, Smith L, Garcia J
The loss of possibility: scientisation of death and the special
case of early miscarriage.
Sociol Health Illn. 2007 Nov;29(7):1003-22.
School of Nursing and Community Studies, University of Plymouth,
UK.
This paper explores the special nature of bereavement in the
case of first trimester miscarriage. It is theoretically informed
by the sociological literature concerning death and bereavement
and is empirically grounded in interviews with 79 women. We
argue that the 'scientisation of death' in modern societies
contributes to the uncertainty and isolation which distinguish
early miscarriage as a unique form of loss. In the absence
of clear cultural scripts to draw upon, many women interviewed
gave meaning to their loss as 'what might have been' or what
we call 'the loss of possibility'. Some women juxtaposed the
failure of their pregnancy with that of modern medicine either
to prevent the loss or provide a credible explanation for their
miscarriage. Little research has been conducted in this area,
since the pioneering work of Lovell (1983) and Cecil (1984).
Our research draws on one of the largest and most systematic
bodies of data ever collected on early miscarriage, and provides
continued evidence of the traumas of miscarriage. The strategies
employed by women to make sense of, and come to terms with,
their experience of miscarriage are explored, employing a typology
of pre-modern, modern and postmodern responses.
3. Holt RI, Clarke P, Parry EC, Coleman MA.
The effectiveness of glibenclamide in women with gestational
diabetes.
Diabetes Obes Metab. 2007 Dec 17 [Epub ahead of print]
Endocrinology and Metabolism Sub-Division, Developmental Origins
of Health and Disease Division, University of Southampton,
Southampton, UK.
Background: Several studies have suggested that glibenclamide
may be used safely and effectively in women with gestational
diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of our study was to assess
effectiveness and safety of glibenclamide for GDM in UK clinical
practice. Methods: Women with GDM requiring pharmacological
therapy were offered a choice of insulin or glibenclamide.
Maternal and foetal outcomes were assessed in women treated
with insulin (45) or glibenclamide (44) and also compared with
women treated with diet alone (55). Results: Thirty-four (77%)
achieved adequate glycaemic control with glibenclamide. Women
choosing glibenclamide were more likely to be Asian and had
higher fasting and 2-h glucose at diagnosis than those choosing
insulin. There was no difference in maternal age or parity.
Ten women treated with glibenclamide switched to insulin [inadequate
control (7), unpredictable hypoglycaemia (1) and other reason
(2)]. There was no difference in mode of birth, birth weight
or birth weight centile between groups. One stillbirth occurred
with glibenclamide. Glibenclamide treatment was associated
with lower Apgar scores and increased neonatal jaundice. Neonatal
hypoglycaemia occurred more frequently in babies of women treated
with either glibenclamide or insulin. Conclusion: The use of
glibenclamide in pregnancy is associated with adequate glycaemic
control in 77% of women and achieved similar foetal outcomes
to women treated with insulin.
4. Holub Z, Mara M, Kuzel D, Jabor A, Maskova J, Eim J
Pregnancy outcomes after uterine artery occlusion: prospective
multicentric study.
.Fertil Steril. 2007 Dec 21 [Epub ahead of print]
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baby Friendly Hospital,
Kladno.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the reproductive outcomes after laparoscopic
uterine artery occlusion (LUAO) and uterine artery embolization
(UAE) in women with symptomatic fibroids. DESIGN: Prospective,
clinical multicentric study. SETTING: Endoscopic center in
the department of obstetrics and gynecology at a hospital in
the Czech Republic. PATIENT(S): Thirty-eight pregnant women
after LUAO and 20 pregnant women after UAE. INTERVENTION(S):
Laparoscopic uterine artery occlusion and UAE. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURE(S): Pregnancy, abortion, preterm delivery, and live-birth
rates. RESULT(S): Pregnancies after uterine embolization had
a statistically significantly higher rate for spontaneous abortion
(56%) than did pregnancies after surgical uterine artery occlusion
(10.5%). The risk of malpresentation (20%) and the rate for
cesarean section (80%) after UAE similarly were higher than
was the risk after laparoscopic occlusion; however, these differences
were not statistically significant. Also, there were no significant
differences between the groups in preterm deliveries (15.3%
in the LUAO group vs. 20% in the UAE group). CONCLUSION(S):
Pregnancies of women who were treated with uterine embolization
were at significantly increased risk for spontaneous abortion
when compared with pregnancies of women treated with LUAO.
5. Del Río M, Martínez JM, Figueras F, Bennasar
M, Olivella A, Palacio M, Coll O, Puerto B, Gratacós
EDoppler assessment of the aortic isthmus and perinatal outcome
in preterm fetuses with severe intrauterine growth restriction.
.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Dec 21;31(1):41-47 [Epub ahead
of print]
Department of Maternal–Fetal Medicine, ICGON, Hospital
Clínic, University of Barcelona and Centre for Biomedical
Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the characteristics and association
with perinatal outcome of the aortic isthmus (AoI) circulation
as assessed by Doppler imaging in preterm growth-restricted
fetuses with placental insufficiency. METHODS: This was a prospective
cross-sectional study. Fifty-one fetuses with intrauterine
growth restriction (IUGR) and either an umbilical artery (UA)
pulsatility index (PI) > 95(th) centile or a cerebroplacental
ratio < 5(th) centile were examined at 24-36 weeks' gestation.
AoI impedance indices (PI and resistance index) and absolute
velocities (peak systolic (PSV), end-diastolic and time-averaged
maximum (TAMXV) velocities), were measured in all cases and
compared with reference ranges by gestational age. Furthermore,
fetuses were stratified into two groups according to the direction
of the diastolic blood flow in the AoI: those with antegrade
flow (n = 41) and those with retrograde flow (n = 10). Clinical
surveillance was based on gestational age and Doppler assessment
of the UA, middle cerebral artery and ductus venosus (DV).
Adverse perinatal outcome was defined as stillbirth, neonatal
death and severe morbidity (respiratory distress syndrome,
bronchopulmonary dysplasia, Grade III/IV intraventricular hemorrhage,
necrotizing enterocolitis and a neonatal intensive care unit
stay > 14 days). RESULTS: Adverse perinatal outcome was
significantly associated with an increased AoI-PI (area under
the curve 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.92; P < 0.005). A significant
correlation (P < 0.001) was found between retrograde blood
flow in the AoI and adverse perinatal outcome, the overall
perinatal mortality being higher in the retrograde group (70%
vs. 4.8%, P < 0.001). In 4/5 (80%) fetuses the reversal
of flow in the AoI preceded that in the DV by 24-48 h. AoI-PSV
and AoI-TAMXV were < 5(th) centile in 40/51 (78%) and 48/51
(94%) cases, respectively, whereas AoI-PI was > 95(th) centile
in 21/51 (41%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: Retrograde flow in the AoI
in growth-restricted fetuses correlates strongly with adverse
perinatal outcome. Absolute velocities in the AoI are decreased
in growth-restricted fetuses. The data suggest a potential
role for Doppler imaging of the AoI in the clinical surveillance
of fetuses with severe IUGR, which should be confirmed in larger
prospective studies. Copyright (c) 2007 ISUOG. Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prepared by the
National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center
Georgetown University
2115 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 601
Washington, DC 20007
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