Effects of IGF-Ⅱand TGF-β1 on invasiveness of placental trophoblast cells in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome

Objective: This study was to investigate the invasiveness of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) trophoblast cells and evaluate the effects of IGF-Ⅱand TGF-β1 on cytotrophoblast invasion.Methods: Cytotrophoblast cells from normal and PIH placenta were separated and purified. Cytotrophoblast invasiveness of normal and PIH placenta was measured by in vitro invasion assay. Effects of IGF-Ⅱand TGF-β1 on cytotrophoblast invasion were also studied.Results: In PIH group, cytotrophoblast invasiveness was dramatically decreased. In normal group, trophoblast invasiveness was significantly enhanced by IGF-Ⅱ but inhibited by TGF-β1. Neither IGF-Ⅱ nor TGF-β1 had statistically significant effects on PIH trophoblast invasion.Conclusions: PIH cytotrophoblast invasiveness dramatically decreases as compared to the normal level. IGF-Ⅱand TGF-β1 may play an important role in shallow trophoblast invasion on PIH.

Adherence to Pharmacotherapy in Post-Menopausal Women with Hypertension or Metabolic Syndrome: Real World Experience

Background: Adherence to medications is dependent upon a variety of factors, including individual characteristics of the patient, interactions with health care providers, and medication complexity. Even though several studies were conducted to test intervention strategies, results are uncertain. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess if a tailored combined intervention strategy improves medication adherence in a large population of post-menopausal women affected by hypertension or metabolic syndrome. Methods: We enrolled 6833 patients aged 50 to 69 years, 85.7% with hypertension, and 14.3% with metabolic syndrome. A network between patients, general practitioners, and cardiologists was established. Interventions included education, adequate information to patients, a simplified scheme of treatment, and periodic adherence assessment. These were either delivered as healthcare provider supports or using modern technology. Medication adherence was estimated by the proportion of days covered for all classes of drugs after the index date. Results: Non-adherent hypertensive women were 297 (5%), and those with metabolic syndrome were 73 (7.4%) (p Conclusions: The rate of non-adherence in both settings of postmenopausal women was 7.7%, much lower than that described in the literature. This rate was increased in patients with metabolic syndrome;probably it is related to the complexity of the therapeutic scheme or to a poor consciousness of the disease. Therefore, implementing a tailored combined intervention can improve significantly patients’ adherence to medical therapy.

Development of pulmonary hypertension remains a major hurdle to corrective surgery in Down syndrome

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality encountered in clinical practice with 50%of them having associated congenital heart disease(CHD).Shunt lesions account for around 75%of all CHDs in Down syndrome.Down syndrome patients,especially with large shunts are particularly predisposed to early development of severe pulmonary hypertension(PH)compared with shunt lesions in general population.This necessitates timely surgical correction which remains the only viable option to prevent long term morbidity and mortality.However,despite clear recommendations,there is wide gap between actual practice and fear of underlying PH which often leads to surgical refusals in Down syndrome even when the shunt is reversible.Another peculiarity is that Down syndrome patients can develop PH even after successful correction of shunt.It is not uncommon to come across Down syndrome patients with uncorrected shunts in adulthood with irreversible PH at which stage intracardiac repair is contraindicated and the only option available is a combined heartlung transplant.However,despite the guidelines laid by authorities,the rates of cardiac transplant in adult Down syndrome remain dismal largely attributable to the high prevalence of intellectual disability in them.The index case presents a real-world scenario highlighting the impact of severe PH on treatment strategies and discrimination driven by the fear of worse outcomes in these patients.

Analysis of factors related to postpartum depression in pregnancyinduced hypertension syndrome patients and construction and evaluation of nomograms

BACKGROUND It is positive to integrate and evaluate the risk factors for postpartum depression in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome and to detect highrisk patients as early as possible,which has application value for the clinical development of personalized prevention programs and prognosis of patients.AIM To analyze factors related to postpartum depression in patients with pregnancyinduced hypertension and construct and evaluate a nomogram model.METHODS The clinical data of 276 patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension admitted to Huzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital between January 2017 and April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.We evaluated the depression incidence at 6 wk postpartum.The depression group included patients with postpartum depression,and the remainder were in the non-depression group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis and the LASSO regression model were applied to analyze the factors related to postpartum depression in patients with pregnancyinduced hypertension.After that,a risk prediction model nomogram was constructed and evaluated.RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin A deficiency(VAD)during pregnancy and puerperium,family history of hypertension,maternal intestinal flora imbalance,eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA),and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA)were independent risk factors for postpartum depression in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(P<0.05).We constructed the nomogram model based on these five risk factors.The area under the curve,specificity,and sensitivity of the model in predicting postpartum depression in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension was 0.867(95%confidence interval:0.828–0.935),0.676,and 0.889,respectively.The average absolute error was 0.037(Hosmer-Lemeshow testχ2=10.739,P=0.217).CONCLUSION VAD during pregnancy and puerperium,family history of hypertension,maternal intestinal flora imbalance,EPA,and DHA affect postpartum depression in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension,nephrotic syndrome,and polymyositis due to hepatitis C virus infection:A case report

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C infection not only damages the liver but also often accompanies many extrahepatic manifestations.Incidences of pulmonary hypertension(PH)caused by hepatitis C are rare,and incidences of concurrent nephrotic syndrome and polymyositis are even rarer.CASE SUMMARY Herein we describe the case of a 57-year-old woman who was admitted to our department for intermittent chest tightness upon exertion for 5 years,aggravated with dyspnea for 10 d.After relevant examinations she was diagnosed with PH,nephrotic syndrome,and polymyositis due to chronic hepatitis C infection.A multi-disciplinary recommendation was that the patient should be treated with sildenafil and macitentan in combination and methylprednisolone.During treatment autoimmune symptoms,liver function,hepatitis C RNA levels,and cardiac parameters of right heart catheterization were monitored closely.The patient showed significant improvement in 6-min walking distance from 100 to 300 m at 3-mo follow-up and pulmonary artery pressure drops to 50 mmHg.Long-term follow-up is needed to confirm further efficacy and safety.CONCLUSION Increasing evidence supports a relationship between hepatitis C infection and diverse extrahepatic manifestations,but it is very rare to have PH,nephrotic syndrome,and polymyositis in a single patient.We conducted a literature review on the management of several specific extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C.

Prediction of Hypotension During Neuraxial Anesthesia in Patients with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension Through Subclavian Vein Collapsibility Index

Objective:To explore and evaluate the predictive value of subclavian vein collapsibility index(SCV-CI)on hypotension during neuraxial anesthesia in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH).Methods:Pregnant women with PIH who underwent elective cesarean section in our hospital from January to July 2021 were selected as the research subjects.Patients who experienced hypotension during anesthesia were included into the hypotension group,whereas patients who had a normal blood pressure during anesthesia were included in the normotensive group.The SCV-CI was then calculated for three respiratory cycles,the average value was taken as the base value,and the patient was monitored for another 20 minutes.The blood pressure,heart rate,blood oxygen saturation,and SCV-CI of the patients were measured,and the incidence of maternal nausea and vomiting and cord blood gas were recorded.Then,a correlation analysis was conducted on the relationship between subclavian vein collapsibility index and hypotension.A receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to seek the threshold value of subclavian vein collapsibility index for post-anesthesia hypotension.Results:There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and heart rate(HR)between the two groups before anesthesia(P>0.05).After anesthesia,the above indexes(SBP,103.25±12.48 mmHg;DBP,58.94±7.46 mmHg;and HR,52.96±6.48 beats/min)were significantly lower than those of the normal blood pressure group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).In comparison,the SCV-CI in the hypotension group was 35.82±4.93%greater than that in the normal blood pressure group(23.85±5.27%),and the incidence of nausea and vomiting in the hypotension group(40.0%)was significantly higher than that in the normotensive group(10.53%),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The area under the curve of SCV-CI prediction against hypotension in patients with PIH under neuraxial anesthesia was 0.825(95%CI:0.762-0.893,P<0.001),the cut-off value was 25.68%,the predictive sensitivity was 92.68%,and the specificity was 81.24%.Conclusion:SCV-CI has a good predictive value for the occurrence of hypotension in patients with PIH during neuraxial anesthesia.

Impact of metabolic syndrome components on clinical outcomes in hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND The incidence of hypertriglyceridemia(HTG)-induced acute pancreatitis(AP)is steadily increasing in China,becoming the second leading cause of AP.Clinical complications and outcomes associated with HTG-AP are generally more severe than those seen in AP caused by other etiologies.HTG-AP is closely linked to metabolic dysfunction and frequently coexists with metabolic syndrome or its components.However,the impact of metabolic syndrome components on HTGAP clinical outcomes remains unclear.AIM To investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome component burden on clinical outcomes in HTG-AP.METHODS In this retrospective study of 255 patients diagnosed with HTG-AP at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University,we collected data on patient demographics,clinical scores,complications,and clinical outcomes.Subsequently,we analyzed the influence of the presence and number of individual metabolic syndrome components,including obesity,hyperglycemia,hypertension,and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),on the aforementioned parameters in HTG-AP patients.RESULTS This study found that metabolic syndrome components were associated with an increased risk of various complications in HTG-AP,with low HDL-C being the most significant risk factor for clinical outcomes.The risk of complications increased with the number of metabolic syndrome components.Adjusted for age and sex,patients with highcomponent metabolic syndrome had significantly higher risks of renal failure[odds ratio(OR)=3.02,95%CI:1.12-8.11)],SAP(OR=5.05,95%CI:2.04-12.49),and intensive care unit admission(OR=6.41,95%CI:2.42-16.97)compared to those without metabolic syndrome.CONCLUSION The coexistence of multiple metabolic syndrome components can synergistically worsen the clinical course of HTGAP,making it crucial to monitor these components for effective disease management.

Moyamoya syndrome may result from psoriasis: Four case reports

BACKGROUND Moyamoya syndrome(MMS)is a group of diseases that involves more than one underlying disease and is accompanied by moyamoya vascular phenomena.Psoriasis is a chronic immune skin disease closely linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.However,psoriasis-related MMS has not been reported.CASE SUMMARY We collected data on patients with stroke due to MMS between January 2017 and December 2019 and identified four cases of psoriasis.Case histories,imaging,and hematological data were collected.The average age of the initial stroke onset was 58.25±11.52 years;three cases of hemorrhagic and one case of ischemic stroke were included.The average duration from psoriasis confirmation to the initial MMS-mediated stroke onset was 17±3.56 years.All MMS-related stenoses involved the bilateral cerebral arteries:Suzuki grade III in one case,grade IV in two cases,and grade V in one case.Abnormally elevated plasma interleukin-6 levels were observed in four patients.Two patients had abnormally elevated immunoglobulin E levels,and two had thrombocytosis.All four patients received medication instead of surgery.With an average follow-up time of 2 years,two causing transient ischemic attacks occurred in two patients,and no hemorrhagic events occurred.CONCLUSION Psoriasis may be a potential risk factor for MMS.Patients with psoriasis should be screened for MMS when they present with neurological symptoms.

Investigating causal links between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension

Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)is a prevalent global health concern with a rising incidence.Various risk factors,including obesity,hiatal hernia,and smo-king,contribute to its development.Recent research suggests associations bet-ween GERD and metabolic syndrome,cardiac diseases,and hypertension(HTN).Mechanisms linking GERD to HTN involve autonomic dysfunction,inflammatory states,and endothelial dysfunction.Furthermore,GERD medications such as pro-ton-pump inhibitors may impact blood pressure regulation.Conversely,antihy-pertensive medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers can exacerbate GERD symptoms.While bidirectional causality exists between GERD and HTN,longitudinal studies are warranted to elucidate the precise relationship.Treatment of GERD,including anti-reflux surgery,may positively influence HTN control.However,the interplay of lifestyle factors,comorbidities,and medications necessitates further investigation to comprehensively understand this relation-ship.In this editorial,we comment on the article published by Wei et al in the recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases.We evaluate their claims on the causal association between GERD and HTN.

Congenital heart“Challenges”in Down syndrome

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Kong et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Cardiology.In this interesting case,the authors present the challenges faced in managing a 13-year-old patient with Down syndrome(DS)and congenital heart disease(CHD)associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.In this distinct population,the Authors underscore the need for early diagnosis and management as well as the need of a multidisciplinary approach for decision making.It seems that the occurrence of CHD in patients with DS adds layers of complexity to their clinical management.This editorial aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the intricate interplay between DS and congenital heart disorders,offering insights into the nuanced diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for physicians.

Study on the Correlation between Metabolic Syndrome and Colorectal

Metabolic syndrome has been widely recognized in various studies as being intricately linked to the initiation and progression of colorectal adenoma. The potential pathways through which metabolic syndrome influences colorectal adenoma encompass chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and dysbiosis of the intestinal flora. This review aims to consolidate the understanding of the association between metabolic syndrome and colorectal adenoma, elucidating the interconnected mechanisms between different metabolic syndrome-related disorders and colorectal adenoma. By shedding light on these connections, this review offers valuable insights for the preventive strategies targeting colorectal adenoma.

Change of hs-CRP,sVCAM-1,NT-proBNP levels in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension after therapy with magnesium sulfate and nifudipine

Objective:To investigate the change of the hs-CRP,sVC AM-1,NT-proBNP levels of the patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH) syndrome.Methods:A total of 200 patients with PIH were divided into mild,moderate and severe group,and 50 healthy pregnancy patients served as the control group.The serum sVCAM-1 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,hs-CRP were detected by immunity transmission turbidity,and NT-proBNP levels were determined by the colloidal gold method.Patients were treated with magnesium sulfate and nifudipine and the contrastive analysis was performed before and after treatment.And the pathological changes in placental of PIH patients were delected by hematoxylin-eosin staining at the same time.Results:The hs-CRP,sVCAM-l,NT-proBNP levels of patients in the mild, moderate and severe PHI group were significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05). The hs-CKP,sVCAM-l,NT-proBNP levels in the severe group were significantly higher than the mild group and the moderate group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The hsCRP,sVCAM-l,NT-proBNP of the moderate group were significantly higher than the mild group(P<0.05).There was a positive correlation between hs-CRP,sVCAM-1,NT-proBNP expression levels and the degree of the PIH.The expression of hs-CRP,sVCAM-1,NT-proBNP levels of the moderate and the severe group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).The number of placental villi and interstitial blood vessel in the moderate and severe PIH group were significantly less than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusions:The increased levels of serum hs-CRP,sVCAM-1, NT-proBNP may be involved in the process of vascular endothelial cell injury of the PIH,and the hs-CRP,sVCAM-1,NT-proBNP can be used as the auxiliary index for diagnosis of PIH and determination of PIH severity.

Increased Oxidative Stress in Women With Pregnancy-induced Hypertension

Objective To investigate whether pregnancy-induced hypertension （PIH） may increase oxidative stress in women with PIH, and to explore the mechanisms by which PIH may increase oxidative stress and potential free radical damage. Methods Seventy women with PIH and seventy women with uncomplicated normotensive pregnancy （UNP） whose age, nutritional conditions, levels of hemoglobin and albumin were all matched, were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Their plasma concentrations of nitric oxide （NO）, vitamin C （VC）, vitamin E （VE）, and β-carotene （β-CAR） as well as their erythrocyte malondialdehyde （MDA）, and activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GPX） were determined by spcctrophotometry. Results Compared with average values of the above experimental parameters in the women with UNP, the average value of erythrocyte MDA in the women with PIH significantly increased （P〈0.0001）, while the average values of plasma NO, VC, VE, and β-CAR as well as those of erythrocyte SOD, CAT, and GPX in the women with PIH significantly decreased （P〈0.0005-0.0001）. The findings from partial correlation analysis （controlling for age） for 70 women with PIH showed that with elevated systolic blood pressure （SBP） and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）, MDA value gradually increased （P〈0.001）, and NO, VC, VE, β-CAR, SOD, CAT, and GPX values gradually decreased （P〈0.02-0.001）. The findings from reliability analysis for NO, VC, VE, β-CAR, SOD, CAT, GPX, and MDA values used to reflect increased oxidative stress and potential free radical damage in women with PIH showed that the reliability coefficients （alpha, 8 items） = 0.7062, P〈 0.0001, and the standardized item alpha = 0.9116, P〈 0.0001. Conclusion The findings in the present research suggest that pregnancy-induced hypertension can increase oxidative stress and potential free radical damage in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension and metabolic syndrome: Possible connection, PPARγ and Caveolin-1

A number of disparate diseases can lead to pulmonary hypertension(PH), a serious disorder with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Recent studies suggest that the associated metabolic dysregulation may be an important factor adversely impacting the prognosis of PH. Furthermore, metabolic syndrome is associated with vascular diseases including PH. Inflammation plays a significant role both in PH and metabolic syndrome. Adipose tissue modulates lipid and glucose metabolism, and also produces pro-and anti-inflammatory adipokines that modulate vascular function and angiogenesis, suggesting a close functional relationship between the adipose tissue and the vasculature. Both caveolin-1, a cell membrane scaffolding protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR) γ, a ligandactivated transcription factor are abundantly expressed in the endothelial cells and adipocytes. Both caveolin-1 and PPARγ modulate proliferative and anti-apoptotic pathways, cell migration, inflammation, vascular homeostasis, and participate in lipid transport, triacylglyceride synthesis and glucose metabolism. Caveolin-1 and PPARγ regulate the production of adipokines and in turn are modulated by them. This review article summarizes the roles and inter-relationships of caveolin-1,PPARγ and adipokines in PH and metabolic syndrome.

Terlipressin improves pulmonary pressures in cirrhotic patients with pulmonary hypertension and variceal bleeding or hepatorenal syndrome

Terlipressin has been shown to improve both pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics in stable cirrhotic patients with pulmonary hypertension,whereas other vasoconstrictors may cause pulmonary pressures to deteriorate We investigated the pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic effects of the first terlipressin dose(2 mg) in 7 cirrhotic patients with PH presenting with variceal bleeding(n=4) or hepatorenal syndrome(n=3).Terlipressin decreased pulmonary vascular resistance(158.8±8.9 vs 186.5±13.9 dynes sec cm-5 ;P=0.003) together with an increase in systemic vascular resistance(2143± 126 vs 1643±126 dynes sec cm-5 ;P<0.001).Terlipressin should be the vasoconstrictor treatment of choice when patients present with variceal bleeding or HRS.

Effect of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt on pulmonary gas exchange in patients with portal hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome

AIM: To assess the impact of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on pulmonary gas exchange and to evaluate the use of TIPS for the treatment of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS).METHODS: Seven patients, three of them with advanced HPS, in whom detailed pulmonary function tests were performed before and after TIPS placementat the University of Alabama Hospital and at the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, were considered.RESULTS: TIPS patency was confirmed by hemodynamic evaluation. No changes in arterial blood gases were observed in the overall subset of patients. Transient arterial oxygenation improvement was observed in only one HPS patient, early after TIPS, but this was not sustained 4 mo later.CONCLUSION: TIPS neither improved nor worsened pulmonary gas exchange in patients with portal hypertension. This data does not support the use of TIPS as a specific treatment for HPS. However, it does reinforce the view that TIPS can be safely performed for the treatment of other complications of portal hypertension in patients with HPS.

Portopulmonary hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome

Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) and hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) are two frequent complications of liver disease, with prevalence among liver transplant candidates of 6% and 10%, respectively. Both conditions result from a lack of hepatic clearance of vasoactive substances produced in the splanchnic territory. Subsequently, these substances cause mainly pulmonary vascular remodeling and some degree of vasoconstriction in POPH with resulting elevated pulmonary pressure and right ventricular dysfunction. In HPS the vasoactive mediators cause intrapulmonary shunts with hypoxemia. Medical treatment is disappointing overall. Whereas liver transplantation (LT) results in the disappearance of HPS within six to twelve months, its effect on POPH is highly unpredictable. Modern strategies in managing HPS and POPH rely on a thorough screening and grading of the disease&#x02019;s severity, in order to tailor the appropriate therapy and select only the patients who will benefit from LT. The anesthesiologist plays a central role in managing these high-risk patients. Indeed, the important hemodynamic and respiratory modifications of the perioperative period must be avoided through continuation of the preoperatively initiated drugs, appropriate intraoperative monitoring and proper hemodynamic and respiratory therapies.

Expression of TGF-β1 in Placenta of the Patients with Pregnancy-induced Hypertension and Its relationship with Serum VCAM-1

The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in placental tissue of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and the relationship between the level of expression of TGF-β1 and the amount of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in serum was studied. Immunohistochemistry ABC was used to detect the expression and distribution of TGF-β1 in placental tissues in 40 PIH women and 20 normal pregnancy women. High resolution pathological image analysis system was used to determine the quality of TGF-β1. The VCAM-1 in serum was examined by enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that TGF-β1 could be express in syncytiotrophoblast. The levels of TGF-β1 expression in placental tissues of the patients with moderate and severe PIH were significantly higher (P<0.05), while the serum VCAM-1 was significantly lower than in normal group (P<0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the expression of TGF-β1 in placental tissues and the serum VCAM-1 (r=0.969, P<0.01). It was concluded that the level of TGF-β1 expression in PIH was increased and was positively correlated with the amount of serum VCAM-1, indicating that they might be involved in the pathogenesis of PIH.

Second-trimester maternal β-human chorionic gonadotropin level associated with subsequent development of pregnancy-induced hypertension

Objective:To determine whether maternal β-human chorionic gonadotropin(β-hCG) level in second-trimester may be associated with subsequent development of pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH).Methods:Seven hundred and sixty-two women in mid-trimester were to have maternal urine β-hCG standardized concentrations and maternal serum β-hCG measurements.Their case histories were recorded and reviewed from mid-trimester to delivery.The relation was observed between maternal urine,serum markers and subsequent development of PIH.Results:Among 762 women,504 cases were normal pregnancies,42 cases had PIH,94 cases had premature rupture of membrane (PROM),69 cases had preterm delivery (PD),53 other cases were excluded by various reasons.The levels of maternal urine,serum β-hCG in PIH were (61.75±9.78) IU/L and (304.56±54.17) ng/mg respectively,which were higher significantly than normal pregnancy group ([20.65±7.61] IU/L and [146.34±47.81] ng/mg,P<0.05).When maternal serum,urine β-hCG levels ≥2 MOM(multiple of mean),the incidences of developing PIH were increased significantly as compared with those of β-hCG <2 MOM women.The incidence of PIH increased from 5.1% in pregnancies with urine β-hCG ≥2 MOM to 11.7% in cases with urine β-hCG ≥4 MOM.Conclusion:The elevation of maternal mid-trimester urine,serum β-hCG levels is not only an early signal for dysfunction of placenta but also a dangerous signal for development of PIH.Second-trimester maternal urine β-hCG measurement proves to be superior to serum marker in clinical prediction.

Hypertension, Autonomic Storm, Increased Counter Regulatory Hormones and Suppressed Insulin in Acute Myocarditis in Scorpion Envenoming Syndrome

Death due to scorpion envenoming syndrome is a common event in many of the tropical and non-tropical counties. Initial transient hypertension is commonly observed in scorpion sting victims. Scorpion envenoming causes autonomic storm resulting in initial transient hypertension followed by hypotension, cold clammy skin, hypothermia, cardiovascular disturbances, acute myocarditis, sarcolemmal defects, pulmonary oedema, acute pancreatitis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and many other clinical manifestations. All these manifestations could be due to sudden increase in catecholamines, angiotensin II, glucagon, Cortisol and either due to suppressed insulin secretion or insulin resistance and death. The sudden increase of metabolic A in counter-regulatory hormones along with either suppressed insulin secretion/or insulin resistance results in glycogenolysis in liver, cardiac and skeletal muscles causing hyperglycemia and a sudden increase in free fatty acid levels. Free Fatty Acids increase the susceptibility of the ventricles to the disorganized electrical behavior, inhibit cardiac sarcolemmal Na+-K+ ATPase activity, increase the tendency to intravascular thrombus, increase myocardial oxygen consumption, interfere with tropomyosin-troponin activation of Actin-Myosin coupling, show detergent effects on cell membranes and they could alter the stabilization of lysosomal membranes and probably become toxic to the myocardium. Based on our animal experiments in which insulin administration reversed the metabolic and ECG changes induced by scorpion envenoming and treating the poisonous scorpion sting victims with insulin, we consider that insulin has a primary metabolic role in preventing, counter-acting and reversing all the deleterious effects of FFA by inhibiting the catecholamine induced by lipolysis, and increasing intra-cellular K+, facilitating glucose transport to the myocardium and glucose metabolism through different pathways. Administration of insulin-glucose infusion to scorpion sting victims appears to be the physiological basis for the control of the metabolic response when that has become a determinant to survival. Treatment using continuous infusion of regular crystalline insulin should be given at the rate of 0.3 U/g glucose and glucose at the rate of 0.1 g/kg body weight/hour, for 48 - 72 hours, with supplementation of potassium as needed and maintenance of fluid, electrolytes and acid-base balance.