Maternal, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of twin gestations in women with rheumatic diseases: A single-center, case-control study

Objective: To assess maternal, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of twin pregnancy (TP) in women with rheumatic diseases (RD) (Group A) as compared to those of singleton pregnancy (SP) in women with RD (Group B) and TP in the general obstetric population (GOP) (Group C). Methods: Case-control study including TP in RD during the period 2009–2020 at single institution. Women in Group A were matched with women of the same age at conception and affected by the same RD (Group B). Women in Group A and C were also matched. Results: Fifty-three women with RD (13 in Group A and 40 in Group B) and 39 healthy controls were included. RD was quiescent in 85% of patients in both Groups A and B. Spontaneous conception was more frequent in Group B (98%), as compared to A (62%) (p = 0.002). Emergency cesarean section and premature delivery were more frequent in Group A as compared to B and C (54% vs 15% vs 23%, p = 0.008, 69% vs 13% vs 39%, p < 0.000 and p = 0.054, respectively). Five babies (21%) in Group A required admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but none in Group B (p = 0.007). Conclusion: This is the first case-control study assessing the outcomes of TP in women with RD. An increased risk of preterm delivery, emergency cesarean section and admission to NICU as compared to both SP in RD and TP in the GOP was observed. Multidisciplinary management is warranted to minimize these risks

Cessation of electroencephalographic activity in animals exposed to a lethal dose of succinyldicholine

EEG recordings were obtained from anaesthetized elephant, buffalo, impala and rabbits before and after the administration of a lethal dose of scoline. All EEG activity ceased at an arterial haemoglobin-oxygen saturation of about 25% in the species studied. Unanaesthetized rabbits became unconscious at arterial Po2 of between 23 and 25 mmHg and died at arterial Po2 of between 19 and 23 mmHg. The margin between unconsciousness and death is thus narrow in rabbits and if this is generally true, the discomfort experienced after the administration of scoline will be perceived until shortly before death in any animal species