Anti-Müllerian Hormone Levels in Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Objective: Serum Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Its prognostic value in determining the risk of developing preeclampsia remains, to date, unclear. The purpose of the present systematic review is to accumulate current evidence in this field. Materials and methods: We searched Medline (1966–2017), Scopus (2004–2017), Clinicaltrials.gov (2008–2017), EMBASE (1980-2017), LILACS (1986-2017) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials CENTRAL (1999-2017) databases. Results: Four studies were included in with a total number of 401 women. Among them 146 had preeclampsia while 232 were recruited as normotensive controls. Current data are suggestive of the potential predictive value of serum AMH as its levels seem to be lower among women that develop preeclampsia. One study reported that women with and AMH value below the 10th percentile of the studied population had a 3.3 increased risk of developing preeclampsia (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2–8.7, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Taking in mind these findings, future studies are needed in this field to establish optimal cut-off values and evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of this biomarker during the first trimester of pregnancy

Atrial dissociation due to digitalis toxicity

Atrial dissociation due to digitalis toxicity in a patient suffering from arteriosclerotic heart disease is presented. In addition atrioventricular block with Wenckebach phenomenon were present. When digitalis therapy was stopped the above arrhythmias disappeared. © 1968, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved

Bisphenol A and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review of the literature

Purpose: Bisphenol A is a chemical compound related to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The purpose of the present systematic review is to summarize the current knowledge in the field. Materials and methods: We systematically searched the Medline (1966–2017), Scopus (2004–2017), Clinicaltrials.gov (2008–2017), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials CENTRAL (1999–2017) databases. Results: Thirty-five studies were included in the present systematic review. According to our findings, BPA has a direct negative impact on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes, including birthweight, rates of preterm birth, developmental defects, and recurrent miscarriage. Data in the field of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus remain inconclusive because current research is very limited. Conclusions: BPA exposure during pregnancy can result in significant antenatal pathology; hence, occupational exposure should be at least discouraged during this period. However, cross-sectional studies in the field that would assess the levels of exposure at timely intervals are still lacking, therefore, the actual impact of BPA remains unclear. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group