Burden of Chlamydia trachomatis infection amongst infertile women compared with pregnant controls in North-central Nigeria

Background: Female infertility due to tubal damage resulting from pelvic infections including Chlamydia trachomatis is common among women in our environment. The study aimed at determining the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibody amongst infertile women and to assess the relationship between exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis infection and tubal infertility in Garki Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.Methods: This was a case control study among 76 infertile patients with tubal occlusion diagnosed with hysterosalpingography and confirmed by laparoscopy compared with 81 pregnant women recruited from the antenatal clinic. Both cases and control were investigated with a study protocol which solicited information on socio-demographic variables, sexual and reproductive risk factors and history of previous pelvic infection. Each subject and control had 5 ml of blood collected for serological assay for Chlamydial antibody titre using the immunocomb Chlamydia trachomatis 1gG kit. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The prevalence of serum Chlamydial antibody was 57 (75.0%) and 19 (23.5%) among the cases and the pregnant controls respectively (P-value < 0.001). The results showed statistically significant associations between tubal infertility and early age at sexual debut, three or more sexual partners, nulliparity and positive Chlamydia trachomatis antibody titre (P-values < 0.001).Conclusions: The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibody titre was higher among women with infertility compared to the pregnant controls. The findings suggest that tubal infertility is associated with exposure to Chlamydial trachomatis infection

Effect of tranexamic acid on coagulation and fibrinolysis in women with postpartum haemorrhage (WOMAN-ETAC): protocol and statistical analysis plan for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal death. Tranexamic acid has the potential to reduce bleeding and a large randomized controlled trial of its effect on maternal health outcomes in women with PPH (The WOMAN trial) is ongoing. We will examine the effect of tranexamic acid on fibrinolysis and coagulation in a subset of WOMAN trial participants. Methods. Adult women with clinically diagnosed primary PPH after vaginal or caesarean delivery are eligible for inclusion in the WOMAN trial. In a sub-group of trial participants, blood samples will be collected at baseline and 30 minutes after the first dose of tranexamic acid or matching placebo.  Our primary objective is to evaluate the effect of tranexamic acid on fibrinolysis. Fibrinolysis will be assessed by measuring D-dimers and by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM). Secondary outcomes are international normalized ratio (INR), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, haemoglobin and platelets. We aim to include about 180 women from the University College Hospital, Ibadan in Nigeria. Discussion:  This sub-study of WOMAN trial participants should provide information on the mechanism of action of tranexamic acid in women with postpartum haemorrhage. We present the trial protocol and statistical analysis plan. The trial protocol was registered prior to the start of patient recruitment. The statistical analysis plan was completed before un-blinding. Trial registration: The trial was registered: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT00872469 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00872469; ISRCTN registry, Identifier ISRCTN76912190 http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN76912190 (Registration date: 22/03/2012)

Haematological and fibrinolytic status of Nigerian women with post-partum haemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Early treatment with tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding after post-partum haemorrhage. We report the prevalence of haematological, coagulation and fibrinolytic abnormalities in Nigerian women with postpartum haemorrhage. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the WOMAN trial to assess laboratory data and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) parameters in 167 women with postpartum haemorrhage treated at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. We defined hyper-fibrinolysis as EXTEM maximum lysis (ML) > 15% on ROTEM. We defined coagulopathy as EXTEM clot amplitude at 5 min (A5)  1.5. RESULTS: Among the study cohort, 53 (40%) women had severe anaemia (haemoglobin< 70 g/L) and 17 (13%) women had severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50 × 109/L). Thirty-five women (23%) had ROTEM evidence of hyper-fibrinolysis. Based on prothrombin ratio criteria, 16 (12%) had coagulopathy. Based on EXTEM A5 criteria, 49 (34%) had coagulopathy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that, based on a convenience sample of women from a large teaching hospital in Nigeria, hyper-fibrinolysis may commonly occur in postpartum haemorrhage. Further mechanistic studies are needed to examine hyper-fibrinolysis associated with postpartum haemorrhage. Findings from such studies may optimize treatment approaches for postpartum haemorrhage. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Woman trial was registered: NCT00872469; ISRCTN76912190 (Registration date: 22/03/2012)

Effect of tranexamic acid on coagulation and fibrinolysis in women with postpartum haemorrhage (WOMAN-ETAC): a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal death. The WOMAN trial showed that tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces death due to bleeding in women with PPH. We evaluated the effect of TXA on fibrinolysis and coagulation in a sample of WOMAN trial participants. Methods: : Adult women with a clinical diagnosis of PPH were randomised to receive 1 g TXA or matching placebo in the WOMAN trial. Participants in the WOMAN trial at University College Hospital (Ibadan, Nigeria) also had venous blood taken just before administration of the first dose of trial treatment and again 30 (±15) min after the first dose (the ETAC study).  We aimed to determine the effects of TXA on fibrinolysis (D-dimer and rotational thromboelastometry maximum clot lysis (ML)) and coagulation (international normalized ratio and clot amplitude at 5 min). We compared outcomes in women receiving TXA and placebo using linear regression, adjusting for baseline measurements. Results: : Women (n=167) were randomised to receive TXA (n=83) or matching placebo (n=84). Due to missing data, seven women were excluded from analysis. The mean (SD) D-dimer concentration was 7.1 (7.0) mg/l in TXA-treated women and 9.6 (8.6) mg/l in placebo-treated women (p=0.09). After adjusting for baseline, the D-dimer concentration was 2.16 mg/l lower in TXA-treated women (-2.16, 95% CI -4.31 to 0.00, p=0.05). There was no significant difference in ML between TXA- and placebo-treated women (12.3% (18.4) and 10.7% (12.6), respectively; p=0.52) and no significant difference after adjusting for baseline ML (1.02, 95% CI -3.72 to 5.77, p=0.67).  There were no significant effects of TXA on any other parameters. Conclusion: TXA treatment was associated with reduced D-dimer levels but had no apparent effects on thromboelastometry parameters or coagulation tests. Registration: ISRCTN76912190 (initially registered 10/12/2008, WOMAN-ETAC included on 22/03/2012) and NCT00872469 (initially registered 31/03/2009, WOMAN-ETAC included on 22/03/2012)

Society of obstetrics and gynecology of Nigeria – Clinical practice guidelines: Guidelines for the prevention of cervical cancer

Clinical practice guidelines have been developed by professional societies globally. Each guideline although based on published scientific evidence reflected each country’s socioeconomic peculiarities and unique medical environment. The Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Nigerian has published guidelines in other clinical areas; however, this is the first edition of practice guidelines for the prevention of cervical cancer. The Guidelines Committee was established in 2015 and decided to develop the first edition of this guideline following Delphi pool conducted among members which selected cervical cancer prevention as the subject that guideline is urgently needed. These guidelines cover strategies for cervical cancer prevention, screening, and management of test results. The committee developed the draft guideline during a 2‑day workshop with technical input from Cochrane Nigeria and Dr. Chris Maske, Lancet Laboratories, South Africa. The recommendations for each specific area were developed by the consensus, and they are summarized here, along with the details. The objective of these practice guidelines is to establish standard policies on issues in clinical practice related to the prevention of cervical cancer.Keywords: Cervical cancer; guideline; management; prevention; screening; Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Nigeria

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

WOMAN-ETAC Dataset

The WOMAN trial is an international clinical trial to study the effect of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy and other maternal outcomes, in women with PPH.14. The trial tested whether tranexamic acid, a blood clot stabiliser discovered in Japan in the 1950’s, could become an essential tool for fighting excessive bleeding soon after giving birth. This condition, known as postpartum haemorrhage, is the number one cause of maternal death around the world, particularly in low and middle income countries. Dataset contains baseline and follow-up measurements for: D-dimer concentration (mg/L), Maximum lysis (%), Haemoglobin concentration (g/L), International normalized ratio (INR), Prothrombin time (seconds), Activated partial thromboplastin time (seconds), Fibrinogen concentration (g/L), Clotting time (seconds), Amplitude (firmness) at 5 minutes (mm), Amplitude at 10 minutes (mm), Clot lysis at 30 and 60 minutes (%), and Maximum clot firmness (mm). THE DATASET CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE FREEBIRD PLATFORM AT https://ctu-app.lshtm.ac.uk/freebird/

Frequency and management of maternal infection in health facilities in 52 countries (GLOSS): a 1-week inception cohort study

Background Maternal infections are an important cause of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. We report the main findings of the WHO Global Maternal Sepsis Study, which aimed to assess the frequency of maternal infections in health facilities, according to maternal characteristics and outcomes, and coverage of core practices for early identification and management. Methods We did a facility-based, prospective, 1-week inception cohort study in 713 health facilities providing obstetric, midwifery, or abortion care, or where women could be admitted because of complications of pregnancy, childbirth, post-partum, or post-abortion, in 52 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). We obtained data from hospital records for all pregnant or recently pregnant women hospitalised with suspected or confirmed infection. We calculated ratios of infection and infection-related severe maternal outcomes (ie, death or near-miss) per 1000 livebirths and the proportion of intrahospital fatalities across country income groups, as well as the distribution of demographic, obstetric, clinical characteristics and outcomes, and coverage of a set of core practices for identification and management across infection severity groups. Findings Between Nov 28, 2017, and Dec 4, 2017, of 2965 women assessed for eligibility, 2850 pregnant or recently pregnant women with suspected or confirmed infection were included. 70·4 (95% CI 67·7–73·1) hospitalised women per 1000 livebirths had a maternal infection, and 10·9 (9·8–12·0) women per 1000 livebirths presented with infection-related (underlying or contributing cause) severe maternal outcomes. Highest ratios were observed in LMICs and the lowest in HICs. The proportion of intrahospital fatalities was 6·8% among women with severe maternal outcomes, with the highest proportion in low-income countries. Infection-related maternal deaths represented more than half of the intrahospital deaths. Around two-thirds (63·9%, n=1821) of the women had a complete set of vital signs recorded, or received antimicrobials the day of suspicion or diagnosis of the infection (70·2%, n=1875), without marked differences across severity groups. Interpretation The frequency of maternal infections requiring management in health facilities is high. Our results suggest that contribution of direct (obstetric) and indirect (non-obstetric) infections to overall maternal deaths is greater than previously thought. Improvement of early identification is urgently needed, as well as prompt management of women with infections in health facilities by implementing effective evidence-based practices