Background:The effects of β-adrenergic blockers on the fetus are not well understood. We analyzed the maternal and neonatal outcomes of β-adrenergic blocker treatment during pregnancy to identify the risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods and Results:We retrospectively reviewed 158 pregnancies in women with cardiovascular disease at a single center. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were analyzed in 3 categories: the carvedilol (α/β-adrenergic blocker; α/β group, n=13); β-adrenergic blocker (β group, n=45), and control groups (n=100). Maternal outcome was not significantly different between the groups. FGR occurred in 1 patient (7%) in the α/β group, in 12 (26%) in the β group, and in 3 (3%) in the control group; there was a significant difference between the incidence of FGR between the β group and control group (P<0.05). The β group included propranolol (n=22), metoprolol (n=12), atenolol (n=6), and bisoprolol (n=5), and the individual incidence of FGR with these medications was 36%, 17%, 33%, and 0%, respectively. Conclusions:As a group, β-adrenergic blockers were significantly associated with FGR, although the incidence of FGR varied with individual β-blocker. Carvedilol, an α/β-adrenergic blocker, had no association with FGR. More controlled studies are needed to fully establish such associations. (Circ J 2016; 80: 2221 -2226

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) may occur upon a patient's first postoperative attempt of ambulation. PE is a serious complication, often leading to shock or sudden death. Reported rates of PE following gynecologic surgery are between 0.3% and 0.8%, while the incidence of postoperative deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), the major cause of PE, is between 17% and 20%. Therefore, effective preventive measures, such as preoperative assesment for asymptomatic DVT, should be considered. It is well known that DVT and/or PE are associated with large uterine fibroids, the common, benign tumor of myometrium. Here, to establish the statistical relationship between DVT risk and uterine fibroid size/weight, we assessed the preoperative DVT rate with respect to three possible risk factors: age, obesity level, and uterine size/ weight. A total of 361 patients with uterine fibroids undergoing hysterectomy between July, 2003 and December, 2009 were enrolled. All patients were evaluated for preoperative DVT; the results were stratified for statistical comparison by patient age, BMI, and uterine weight. There was no statistical difference in the DVT rate for patients stratified by age (below age 45 years or older) or BMI (below 25 or higher). By contrast, the rate of DVT was significantly higher for patients with uterine weights of 1,000 gm or more (11.5% [7/61]) compared with weights below 1,000 gm (3.0% [9/300]). None of the patients studied developed PE. In conclusion, the incidence of DVT is significantly higher in cases where uterine weight is 1,000 gm or more (ie, adult head size on pelvic examination).

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Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) is characterized by clinical symptoms such as seizures, visual disturbance, and altered mental status. It also presents abnormal findings on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicating cerebral edema in the white matter of the occipital, temporal, and parietal lobes. Both the clinical symptoms and abnormal imaging findings can be reversed by controlling blood pressure or treating the underlying condition including infection. This report describes a patient with RPLS that occurred secondary to eclampsia. A 26-year-old female, gravida 0 para 0, developed weakness and pain in her upper and lower extremities and gait disturbance during the 34th week of pregnancy, and severe pregnancy-induced hypertension near the end of the 37th week. On the first day of the 38th week, she developed constricted visual fields and complained of visual illusions. MRI revealed a high-signal-intensity area in the right occipital lobe. Immediately after MRI, the patient had a 10-sec tonic convulsion. Diagnosed with eclampsia, she underwent emergency cesarean section. MRI on the 2nd postoperative day showed that the high-signal-intensity area was slightly improved. Her visual illusions were diminished by the 4th postoperative day, and almost all subjective symptoms disappeared by the 7th postoperative day. The patient was discharged at 12th postoperative day. We recommend MRI not only for symptomatic patients with suspected RPLS, but also for asymptomatic patients with severe pregnancy-induced hypertension. If findings such as cerebral edema are observed on MRI, immediate delivery should be considered before eclamptic seizures or exacerbation of neurological symptoms.

Unrecognizable exposure to estrogenic substance may cause estrogen-dependent diseases, endometriosis and cancer. Pregnant mice (ICR/Jcl, CLEA) were exposed to 0.01 mg ethinyl estradiol (EE2)/kg per day or vehicle (olive oil) through oral intubation from day 11 to 17 of gestation. They delivered their offspring and raised them. When the experimental female F1 mice were at 8 weeks of age, they were not exposed to EE2 or to the same dose of EE2 or to vehicle twice a week until 20 weeks of age. The control female F1 mice were exposed to the same dose of EE2 or vehicle alone, similarly. All mice were killed at 28 weeks of age. The resected uteri and ovaries were processed for microscopic examinations and for determination of the aromatase mRNA levels and aromatase protein through quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Adenomyosis and adenocarcinomatous changes were significantly discernible in the EE2-exposed uteri, and incidence of ectopic glands and serous cysts were significantly increased in the prenatally EE2-exposed ovaries as compared with respective controls. Significant upregulation of the aromatase mRNA was seen in the prenatally EE2-exposed uteri and in the EE2-exposed ovaries. The aromatase protein was identified in all ovaries examined, and in EE2-exposed uteri but not in controls and confirmed its localization in eutopic and ectopic glands, abnormally proliferated lesions and the lining of the cysts. Taken together, continuous EE2 exposure may cause endometriotic and precancerous lesions due to excessive estrogen synthesis in both target organs.