Periarterial stem villous edema is associated with hypercoiled umbilical cord and stem obliterative endarteritis

To assess clinicopathologic correlations of a novel placental lesion featuring a distinct ring-like periarterial edema of stem villi (PASE). A retrospective case-control statistical comparison (Yates χ2 or analysis of variance) of 30 clinical and 41 placental features of 100 consecutive placentas with PASE and 100 gestational age-matched cases without PASE, extracted from 2403 placentas from high-risk pregnancies signed out by the author since year 2006. The PASE was seen in 4.2% of placentas, average gestational age 35.9 weeks (range, 24 - 42 weeks). Frequencies of stem obliterative endarteritis and hypercoiled umbilical cord (coiling index > 0.3) were 23% vs 5% (p = 0.005), and 20% vs 9% (p = 0.04) in the study group and comparative group, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the groups in clinical or other placental variables. The PASE may be linked to chronically abnormal blood flow in umbilical cord arteries and their stem branches and may be a histological placental sign of non-obliterative umbilical cord compromise.

Hyperdense artery sign, symptomatic infarct swelling and effect of alteplase in acute ischaemic stroke

Background Alteplase improves functional outcomes of patients with acute ischaemic stroke,but its effects on symptomatic infarct swelling,an adverse complication of stroke and the influence of CT hyperdense artery sign(HAS)are unclear.This substudy of the Third International Stroke Trial aimed to investigate the association between HAS and symptomatic infarct swelling and effect of intravenous alteplase on this association.Methods We included stroke patients whose prerandomisation scan was non-contrast CT.Raters,masked to clinical information,assessed baseline(prerandomisation)and follow-up(24-48 hours postrandomisation)CT scans for HAS,defined as an intracranial artery appearing denser than contralateral arteries.Symptomatic infarct swelling was defined as clinically significant neurological deterioration≤7 days after stroke with radiological evidence of midline shift,effacement of basal cisterns or uncal herniation.Results Among 2961 patients,HAS presence at baseline was associated with higher risk of symptomatic infarct swelling(OR 2.21;95% CI 1.42 to 3.44).Alteplase increased the risk of swelling(OR 1.69;95% CI 1.11 to 2.57),with no difference between patients with and those without baseline HAS(p=0.49).In patients with baseline HAS,alteplase reduced the proportion with HAS at follow-up(OR 0.67;95% CI 0.50 to 0.91),where HAS disappearance was associated with reduced risk of swelling(OR 0.25,95% CI 0.14 to 0.47).Conclusion Although alteplase was associated with increased risk of symptomatic infarct swelling in patients with or without baseline HAS,it was also associated with accelerated clearance of HAS,which in return reduced swelling,providing further mechanistic insights to underpin the benefits of alteplase.