Background:Pre-eclampsia poses a significant potential risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, a
leading cause of maternal deaths. Hyperuricemia is associated with adverse effects on endothelial function, normal
cellular metabolism, and platelet aggregation and adhesion. This study was designed to compare serum urate levels in
normotensive pregnant women to those with pregnancy-induced hypertension, and to evaluate its value as a potential
predictive marker of hypertension severity during pregnancy.Methods: A prospective, observational, case-control study conducted on 100 pregnant women in their third trimester.
Pregnant women were classified into two groups (n=50) according to arterial blood pressure measurements: group I had
normal blood pressure, and group II had a blood pressure of ≥ 140/90, which was further subdivided according to
hypertension severity into IIa (pregnancy-induced hypertension, IIb (mild pre-eclampsia), and IIc (severe pre-eclampsia).
Blood samples were obtained on admission. Serum urate, high sensitive C-reactive protein, and interleukin-1β levels, and
lipid profile were compared across the groups.Results: A significant increase in the mean values of serum urate, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-1β levels were
detected in gestational hypertensives. Also, there was a positive correlation between serum urate levels and C-reactive
protein and interleukin-1β, as well as between Serum urate levels and hypertension severity.Conclusion:Hyperuricemia and increased C-reactive protein and interleukin-1β serum levels correlate with the severity of
pregnancy-induced hypertension, and these biomarkers may play a role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Serum urate
measurement is sensitive, reliable markers that correlate well with the severity of hypertension in pregnant females with
pre-eclampsia.
Background:The toxic effect of local anesthesia on the retina has been previously investigated in animal studies but not in humans. Objectives: The objective of this study was to clarify the effect of local anesthesia with lidocaine versus local anesthesia with lidocaine and an extra administration of adrenaline on the retinal layer thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients indicated for elective cataract surgery. Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial conducted on 60 patients indicated for elective cataract surgery under local anesthesia with lidocaine. Thirty participants received local anesthesia with lidocaine 2% and an extra administration of adrenaline (adrenaline group), and 30 participants received local anesthesia with lidocaine 2% only (control group). The retinal thickness was measured for all participants preoperatively and one week postoperatively using OCT. Results: The OCT findings showed statistically significant decreases postoperatively in superior (P value = 0.028), inferior (P value = 0.017), and average (P value = 0.021) retinal thickness in the adrenaline group. Moreover, there were statistically significant decreases postoperatively in superior (P value = 0.032), inferior (P value = 0.046), and average (P value = 0.028) retinal thickness in the control group. Comparing the adrenaline and control groups for the OCT findings, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the decreases in superior (P value = 0.325), inferior (P value = 0.642), and average (P value = 0.291) retinal thickness. Conclusions: Local anesthesia with lidocaine significantly decreased the retinal thickness. The extra administration of adrenaline to lidocaine did not affect the post-anesthetic changes in the retinal thickness.
Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact after birth bring about numerous protective effects; however, it is an intervention that is underutilized. Early skin-to-skin contact at birth, as well as nursing, protects against the occurrence and severity of the disease. Aim: To evaluate the effect of skin-to-skin contact on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Subjects and method: Design: A quasi-experimental research design was used to achieve the study's aim. Setting: The study was conducted in the Obstetric department at
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