In this study, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics of VVC among pregnant women. We conducted a prospective survey among 372 pregnant women to investigate the prevalence, clinical forms, etiological agents, and predisposing factors of VVC. In addition, we determined the relationship between vaginal and rectal flora by simultaneously obtaining one high vaginal swab and one rectal swab from each patient using sterile cotton-tipped swabs. Furthermore, we compared the recovery and identification performances of chromID Candida agar to Sabouraud dextrose agar with gentamicin and chloramphenicol. Clinically and mycologically confirmed cases of VVC were detected in 139 (37.4%) and vaginal colonization described in 42 (11.3%) of 372 pregnant women. Rectal cultures were also positive in 98 of the 139 (70.5%) VVC cases. Candida albicans and C. glabrata were identified in vaginal samples in 58.0 versus 19.0% and from rectal samples in 49.0 versus 13.5%, respectively. Increases in gestational week and gravidae were identified to be statistically significant in patients with acute VVC (AVVC) and symptomatic recurrent VVC (RVVC), and asymptomatic RVVC (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). In the laboratory diagnosis of VVC, specifically tailored chromogenic media are reliable tools for both the recovery and rapid identification of common Candida spp., particularly C. albicans, as well as for the detection of polyfungal populations in vaginal samples (P > 0.05). In addition, rectal colonization is a common finding in cases of AVVC and symptomatic-RVVC cases and corresponds well with the presence of the same yeast species in the vagina.

Uterine inversion is a rare complication of the postpartum period, but it is an even rarer complication of the non-puerperal period. A 49-year-old nulliparous woman was admitted to the hospital with the following complaints: abnormal vaginal bleeding, pain, anuria and a mass protruding from the vulva. The mass was removed by twisting and a laparotomy was required for massive bleeding due to the inversion. The diagnosis of complete inversion was made during the laparotomy. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed and the pathological examination revealed a leiomyosarcoma. Uterine inversion in the non-puerperal period is an extremely rare event and it should be kept in mind that the cause of the inversion may be a malignant disease, like leiomyosarcoma.

The results confirmed the opinion that EOP is a distinct and more severe clinical entity than LOP. In particular, higher proteinuria is associated with EOP.

Introduction: To evaluate the role of three-dimensional (3D) sonography in the prenatal detection of the upper pole in fetuses with spina bifida. Material and Methods: Women admitted to a tertiary center with pregnancies with isolated open spina bifida were enrolled in the study. All fetuses had 3D sonography to predict the lesion level. The exact lesion level was ascertained using radiography and/or autopsy following the delivery at term or abortion. Results: Forty-eight cases were eligible for this study. Twenty-eight fetuses were diagnosed in the second trimester and the lesion level was precisely predicted in 24 (86%) of them. In 14 (70%) of the 20 fetuses diagnosed in the last trimester, the level was accurately determined. The remaining 10 fetuses, from both the second and third trimesters, were found to have a lesion level that was within one segment of the predicted lesion level. The correct matching rate was 38/48 (79%), and agreement within one segment was achieved in all cases. Discussion: According to our data, 3D ultrasound is useful for the prenatal determination of lesion level in spina bifida, which is an important prognostic factor.

Problem The aim of this study was to evaluate serum procalcitonin (PCT), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and plasma D‐Dimer levels in mild and severe pre‐eclampsia. Method of study Serum PCT, CRP, and D‐Dimer levels were analyzed in 64 cases with pre‐eclampsia as the study group and 33 healthy pregnant women in the third trimester as the control group. Pre‐eclamptic group consisted of mild (n = 31) and severe pre‐eclamptic subgroup (n = 33). Laboratory results were compared between the groups and diagnostic usefulness of these parameters were evaluated. Results PCT, CRP, and D‐Dimer levels were significantly higher in study group than the control group (P = 0.001). PCT, CRP, and D‐Dimer were significantly higher in the patients with severe pre‐eclampsia than mild pre‐eclampsia. There were significant positive correlations between these markers and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Logistic regression analysis using the control and pre‐eclampsia group showed that higher PCT (OR, 15.68; 95%‐CI, 3.15–78.10), CRP (OR, 14.29; 95%‐CI, 3.08–66.34), and D‐Dimer levels (OR, 4.97; 95%‐CI, 1.22–20.29) were found to be risk factors significantly associated with pre‐eclampsia. Conclusions This study results confirm that evidence of a possible exaggerated systemic inflammatory response in pre‐eclampsia especially in severe pre‐eclampsia.

This study compares NT proBNP and troponin T levels in umbilical cord arterial blood and postnatal echocardiographic findings for infants of gestational and pregestational diabetic mothers and macrosomic infants. Twenty-seven infants of pregestational diabetic mothers, 61 infants of gestational diabetic mothers and 37 macrosomic infants of nondiabetic mothers were prospectively enrolled in this study along with a control group of 58 healthy infants of mothers without any pregestational or gestational disorders as the control group. All enrollees were born after 34 weeks of gestation. For this study, umbilical cord blood was drawn during delivery to determine NT proBNP and troponin T levels. Echocardiography was performed 24-72 h after the delivery. Umbilical cord troponin T and NT proBNP levels were found to be higher in the diabetic and macrosomic groups than in the control group (all of them p < 0.001). NT proBNP levels were positively correlated with interventricular septum thickness in the pregestational and gestational infants of diabetic mothers groups (r = 0.564 and r = 0.560, respectively, p < 0.01). Both pregestational and gestational diabetic mothers were divided into two groups according to HbA1c levels in the third trimester as good (<6.1 %) and suboptimal (>6.1 %) metabolic control. In the good and suboptimal metabolic control diabetic groups, NT proBNP levels were also positively correlated with interventricular septum thickness (r = 0.536 and r = 0.576, respectively, p < 0.01). In the suboptimal metabolic control diabetic group, NT proBNP was only found to be positively correlated with the left ventricular mass index (r = 0.586, p < 0.01). While there was no correlation in the myocardial performance index between infants of diabetic mothers and the control group, the myocardial performance index of macrosomic infants was lower than that of the control group (p = 0.017). Cardiac biomarkers (NT proBNP and troponin T) were elevated in infants of diabetic mothers and macrosomic infants. While there was a positive correlation between NT proBNP levels and cardiac structure in infants of pregestational and gestational diabetic mothers, there was no relationship between NT proBNP levels and cardiac function.

preterm do¤um (% 37.5, % 21.6), preeklampsi (% 31.3, % 14.7), intrauterin geliflme gerili¤i (% 20, % 9.8), fetal distres (% 20, % 8.8), konjenital anomali (% 16.3, % 5.9

ÖZETAmaç: Doğuştan kalp hastalıkları için yüksek ve düşük risk taşıyan gebelerde intrauterin kalp hastalığı sıklığını belirlemek ve karşılaştırmak. Yöntemler: Üniversitemiz Tıp Fakültesi Pediatrik Kardiyoloji Ünitesinde fetal ekokardiyografi yapılan 3782 gebenin kayıtları ve ekokardiyografi sonuçları retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Gruplar arasındaki değişkenler Ki-kare testi kullanılarak analiz edildi. Bulgular: Yüksek ve düşük riskli gruplardaki tüm fetüslerin 213'ünde (%5.6) yapısal kalp hastalığı bulundu. En sık patolojiler ventriküler septal defekt (%36.2) ve atriyoventriküler septal defekt (%14.1) idi. Yüksek riskli grupta doğuştan kalp hastalığı sıklığı %7.8 (169 fetüs) bulundu; %4.1'i kompleks, %2.3'ü önemli, %1.4'ü minör patolojiydi. Düşük riskli grupta bu oran %2.7 (44 fetüs) idi; %0.6'sı kompleks, %0.8'i önemli ve %1.3'ü minör patolojiydi. Bu grupta bazı nedenlerle başvuranlarda yapısal kalp hastalığı sıklığı yüksek bulundu; önceki gebelikte intrauterin fetal ölüm (%6.3), anormal birinci ve ikinci üç aylık dönem tarama testleri (%4.3) ve çoğul gebelik (%3.4). Fetal ekokardiyografik incelemenin duyarlılığı %86, özgül-lüğü %98 bulundu. Sonuç: Doğuştan kalp hastalığı sıklığı beklenildiği gibi yüksek riskli grupta daha yüksek bulundu. Düşük riskli grupta yer almalarına rağmen önceki gebelikte intrauterin fetal ölüm, anormal birinci ve ikinci üç aylık dönem tarama testleri ve çoğul gebelik nedeniyle başvuranlardaki kalp hastalığı sıklığı ile yüksek riskli gruptaki kalp hastalığı sıklığı arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı. Bu nedenle kardiyoloji kliniğinin bu konuda uzman kardiyoloğu ve ekipmanı yeterli ise yukarıdaki nedenlerle başvuran gebelere rutin fetal ekokardiyografik çalışma yapılmasını öneriyoruz. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2011; 2: 125-30) Anahtar kelimeler: Doğuştan kalp hastalığı, fetal ekokardiyografi, yüksek riskli gebelik, düşük riskli gebelik ABSTRACT Objective: To establish and compare the frequency of intrauterine congenital heart defects in high-risk and low-risk pregnancies for congenital heart diseases. Methods: Records of 3782 patients who underwent fetal echocardiography at the Pediatric Cardiology Unit were reviewed for reasons of referral and results of echocardiography retrospectively. The categorical variables between the groups were analyzed using a Chi-square test. Results: Structural heart defects were found in 213 (5.6%) fetuses in both high and low risk groups. Most common defects were ventricular septal defect (36.2%) and atrioventricular septal defect (14.1%). Frequency of congenital heart diseases was 7.8% (169 fetuses) in high-risk group: 4.1% were complex, 2.3% significant and 1.4% were minor. In low-risk group, the frequency was 2.7% (44 fetuses): 0.6% were complex, 0.8% significant and 1.3% were minor. In this group, rates of congenital defects were high regarding particular reasons: intrauterine fetal death in previous pregnancy (6.3%), abnormal first or second trimester screening tests (4.3%), and multiple gestations (3.4%). The sensitivity and...