Higher rates of (early) preterm delivery were found in pregnancies with VCI. Fetuses with VCI also suffered from malformations and IUFD more frequently. The last pulsatility index value in the umbilical artery, before delivery, was significantly higher in pregnancies with VCI, which is of uncertain clinical value.

Aims/hypothesisBetatrophin has recently been introduced as a novel hormone and promotor of beta cell proliferation and improved glucose tolerance in mouse models of insulin resistance. In obese and diabetic humans altered levels were reported and a role in pathophysiology of metabolic diseases was therefore hypothesized. However its release and regulation in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as its associations with markers of obesity, glucose and lipid metabolism during pregnancy still remain unclear.MethodsCirculating betatrophin was quantified in 21 women with GDM and 19 pregnant body mass index-matched women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) as well as 10 healthy age-matched non-pregnant women by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally we performed radioimmunassay (RIA) to confirm the results.ResultsBetatrophin concentrations measured by ELISA were significantly higher in GDM than in NGT (29.3±4.4 ng/ml vs. 18.1±8.7 ng/ml, p<0.001) which was confirmed by RIA. Betatrophin did not correlate with BMI or insulin resistance but showed a weak association with leptin levels in pregnancy and negative relationship with fasting C-peptide levels in all women. Moreover it correlated significantly with lipid parameters including triglycerides and total cholesterol in pregnancy, as well as estrogen, progesteron and birth weight.Conclusions/interpretationCirculating betatrophin concentrations are dramatically increased in pregnancy and are significantly higher in GDM versus pregnant NGT. In the light of the previously reported role in lipid metabolism, betatrophin may represent a novel endocrine regulator of lipid alterations in pregnancy. However additional studies are needed to elucidate whether hormonal factors, such as estrogen, control the production of betatrophin and if targeting betatrophin could hold promise in the fight against metabolic disease.

Transitional cell and squamous cell cancer of the bladder was induced in Wistar/Lewis female rats by direct instillation of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea into the bladder. Feeding of the synthetic retinoid, 13-cis-retinoid acid, inhibited the incidence and extent of bladder cancer in these rats, even when 13-cis-retinoic acid administration was begun after completion of the carcinogen treatment.

Aims/hypothesis A history of gastric bypass surgery can influence the results of the OGTT recommended during pregnancy. Therefore, we compared OGTT glucose kinetics and pregnancy outcome between pregnant gastric bypass patients and BMI-matched, lean and obese controls. Methods Medical records were used to collect data on glucose measurements during the 2 h 75 g OGTT as well as on pregnancy and fetal outcome for 304 women (n = 76 per group, matched for age and date of delivery). Results Women after bariatric surgery had lower fasting glucose levels compared with lean, obese and BMI-matched controls, and showed altered postprandial glucose kinetics, including a rise at 60 min followed by hypoglycaemia with serum glucose of <3.34 mmol/l (which occurred in 54.8%). Moreover, their risk of pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension was reduced, with an increased risk of delivering small for gestational age infants. Conclusions/interpretation Alternative strategies to accurately define impaired glucose metabolism in pregnancies after bariatric surgery should be explored.

ObjectiveTo evaluate anti-Mullerian hormone, basal follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and female age in women with recurrent miscarriage and to compare women with explained and idiopathic recurrent miscarriage.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingUniversity hospital, tertiary care center.PatientsWomen with recurrent miscarriage (78 explained, 66 idiopathic).Intervention(s)None.Main Outcome Measures(s)Anti-Mullerian hormone, basal follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and age.ResultsAnti-Mullerian hormone and estradiol were significantly lower in women with idiopathic recurrent miscarriage (median 1.2 ng/ml, IQR 0.6–2.1, and median 36.5 pg/ml, IQR 25.8–47.3, respectively) than in women with explained recurrent miscarriage (median 2.0 ng/ml, IQR 1.1–2.7, and median 42.5 pg/ml, IQR 32.8–59.8, respectively; p<0.05). Optimized cut-off values for the prediction of idiopathic recurrent miscarriage were <39.5 pg/ml for estradiol (sensitivity: 63.3%, 95% CI: 50.9–75.1; specificity: 56.4%, 95% CI: 44.7–67.6) and <1.90 ng/ml for anti-Mullerian hormone (sensitivity: 72.7%, 95% CI: 60.4–83.0; specificity: 52.6%, 95% CI: 40.9–64.0).ConclusionIdiopathic recurrent miscarriage was associated with lower basal estradiol and anti-Mullerian hormone levels compared to explained recurrent miscarriage.