<p>This study was undertaken to investigate the involutional changes of the uterus and uterine cavity by ultrasound (US), gray-scale and Doppler, after normal delivery, and to compare with the corresponding findings from women with puerperal complications, particularly retained placental tissue (RPT). The overall design was exploratory and prospective, with the use of descriptive statistics for analysis. </p><p>Forty-two women with uncomplicated vaginal term delivery were examined on post-partum days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56. The AP diameters of the uterus and uterine cavity and morphological findings were recorded. The maximum AP diameters of the uterus and uterine cavity diminished from 92.0 mm on day 1 to 38.9 mm at day 56 and from 15.8 mm at day 1 to 4.0 mm at day 56, respectively. The uterus was most often empty in the early and late puerperium while a mixed echo pattern over the whole cavity was found during mid puerperium (I).</p><p>Seventy-nine women with secondary post partum hemorrhage (SPH) were examined on the day they presented with clinical symptoms. US revealed an echogenic mass in the uterine cavity in 17 of 18 patients treated surgically and histology confirmed placental tissue in 14 of these. Sixty-one patients with either an empty cavity or mixed echo pattern had an uneventful puerperal course after conservative treatment (II).</p><p>AP diameters and morphological findings for 55 women with endometritis, 28 after caesarean section and 20 after manual evacuation of the placenta overlapped extensively with normal references (III).</p><p>The physiological vascular involution studied in 45 women after normal delivery showed that PI and RI indices did not change significantly until day 28 postpartum. The presence of at least one uterine artery notch was found in 13.3% of the women at day 1 and in 90.6% at day 56 postpartum (IV).</p><p>PI and RI values were measured and compared with reference values in 20 women with clinical suspicion of RPT who were to undergo surgical evacuation. Mean resistance indices were below the 10th percentile for eight of these 20 women, but overlapping was considerable. Doppler US has limited value as a diagnostic tool for RPT. The absence of a hyper-vascular area in the myometrium does not exclude RPT but an echogenic mass in the cavity is a sign of RPT (V).</p>

This study was undertaken to investigate the involutional changes of the uterus and uterine cavity by ultrasound (US), gray-scale and Doppler, after normal delivery, and to compare with the corresponding findings from women with puerperal complications, particularly retained placental tissue (RPT). The overall design was exploratory and prospective, with the use of descriptive statistics for analysis. Forty-two women with uncomplicated vaginal term delivery were examined on post-partum days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56. The AP diameters of the uterus and uterine cavity and morphological findings were recorded. The maximum AP diameters of the uterus and uterine cavity diminished from 92.0 mm on day 1 to 38.9 mm at day 56 and from 15.8 mm at day 1 to 4.0 mm at day 56, respectively. The uterus was most often empty in the early and late puerperium while a mixed echo pattern over the whole cavity was found during mid puerperium (I). Seventy-nine women with secondary post partum hemorrhage (SPH) were examined on the day they presented with clinical symptoms. US revealed an echogenic mass in the uterine cavity in 17 of 18 patients treated surgically and histology confirmed placental tissue in 14 of these. Sixty-one patients with either an empty cavity or mixed echo pattern had an uneventful puerperal course after conservative treatment (II). AP diameters and morphological findings for 55 women with endometritis, 28 after caesarean section and 20 after manual evacuation of the placenta overlapped extensively with normal references (III). The physiological vascular involution studied in 45 women after normal delivery showed that PI and RI indices did not change significantly until day 28 postpartum. The presence of at least one uterine artery notch was found in 13.3% of the women at day 1 and in 90.6% at day 56 postpartum (IV). PI and RI values were measured and compared with reference values in 20 women with clinical suspicion of RPT who were to undergo surgical evacuation. Mean resistance indices were below the 10th percentile for eight of these 20 women, but overlapping was considerable. Doppler US has limited value as a diagnostic tool for RPT. The absence of a hyper-vascular area in the myometrium does not exclude RPT but an echogenic mass in the cavity is a sign of RPT (V).

OBJECTIF: évaluer un modèle prédictif de prééclampsie associant des marqueurs cliniques, biologiques (Inhibine A, PP-13, hCG, ADAM12, PAPP-A et PlGF) et du Doppler des artères utérines (DAU) au 1er trimestre de la grossesse. METHODE : étude prospective de cohorte de 893 nullipares chez qui DAU et prélèvement sanguin étaient réalisés à 11-14 semaines. RESULTATS : 40 grossesses se sont compliquées de prééclampsie (4,5%) dont 9 de prééclampsie précoce (1,0%) et 16 de prééclampsie sévère (1,8%). Le meilleur modèle prédictif de la prééclampsie sévère associait les marqueurs cliniques, PAPP-A et PlGF (taux de détection 87,5% pour 10% de faux positif). Le DAU étant corrélé à la concentration de PAPP-A (r=-0,117 ; p<0,001), il n’améliorait pas la modélisation. CONCLUSION : la combinaison de marqueurs cliniques et biologiques (PlGF et PAPP-A) au 1er trimestre permet un dépistage performant de la prééclampsie sévère. Le DAU n’est pas un instrument efficace de dépistage au 1er trimestre dans cette population. / OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of combined screening for pregnancy hypertensive disorders by maternal characteristics, first trimester uterine artery Doppler (UAD) and serum biomarkers (Inhibine A, PP-13, hCG, ADAM12, PAPP-A et PlGF). STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective cohort study, 893 nulliparous women had UAD evaluation and collection of serum sample at 11-14 weeks. RESULTS: 40 women developed preeclampsia (4.5%) of which 9 early-onset preeclampsia (1.0%), and 16 severe preeclampsia (1.8%). The best model to predict preeclampsia associated maternal charateristics, PAPP-A and PlGF (detection rate 87.5% for 10% of false positive). UAD was correlated to PAPP-A concentration (r=-0.117 ; p<0.001), and so did not add to predictive accuracy. CONCLUSION: Combination of maternal characteristics and first trimester PlGF and PAPP-A provides a useful screening for severe preeclampsia. First trimester UAD was not an efficient screening tool in this population.

Eine Dysbalance zwischen Sauerstoffradikalen und der plasmatischen antioxidativen Kapazität sowie eine gesteigerte Aktivität der neutrophilen Granulozyten werden als mögliche pathophysiologische Faktoren der Schwangerschaftserkrankungen Präeklampsie (PE) und intrauterine Wachstumsretardierung (IUGR) diskutiert. Das Ziel der Studie war, zu prüfen, ob der plasmatische antioxidative Status und die Plasmaspiegel der neutrophilen Granulozyten Myeloperoxidase und PMN Elastase bei Schwangerschaften mit uteriner Perfusionsstörung, die ein Hochrisikokollektiv für die oben genannten Schwangerschaftskomplikationen darstellen, verändert sind. Die Messungen mit dem immundiagnostischen ELISA zur Bestimmung der antioxidativen Kapazität (ImAnOx) ergaben, dass eine signifikante Erniedrigung der Totalen Antioxidativen Kapazität im Hochrisikokollektiv vorlag. Eine Verbesserung der Risikobeurteilung war durch den ImAnOx-Test nicht möglich. Die Berechnung des Antioxidativen Quotienten durch die zusätzliche Bestimmung des Harnsäurespiegels konnte die Voraussage nicht verbessern. Zur inflammatorischen Komponente mit Hilfe der Enzymspiegelmessungen zeigten die Ergebnisse weder einen Zusammenhang mit der uterinen Perfusionsstörung noch verbesserten sie die Einschätzung des Risikos. Anhand der Ergebnisse wird deutlich, dass mit der uterinen Dopplersonographie insbesondere für das fetale Geburtsgewicht eine Kalkulation möglich ist.

OBJECTIF: évaluer un modèle prédictif de prééclampsie associant des marqueurs cliniques, biologiques (Inhibine A, PP-13, hCG, ADAM12, PAPP-A et PlGF) et du Doppler des artères utérines (DAU) au 1er trimestre de la grossesse. METHODE : étude prospective de cohorte de 893 nullipares chez qui DAU et prélèvement sanguin étaient réalisés à 11-14 semaines. RESULTATS : 40 grossesses se sont compliquées de prééclampsie (4,5%) dont 9 de prééclampsie précoce (1,0%) et 16 de prééclampsie sévère (1,8%). Le meilleur modèle prédictif de la prééclampsie sévère associait les marqueurs cliniques, PAPP-A et PlGF (taux de détection 87,5% pour 10% de faux positif). Le DAU étant corrélé à la concentration de PAPP-A (r=-0,117 ; p<0,001), il n’améliorait pas la modélisation. CONCLUSION : la combinaison de marqueurs cliniques et biologiques (PlGF et PAPP-A) au 1er trimestre permet un dépistage performant de la prééclampsie sévère. Le DAU n’est pas un instrument efficace de dépistage au 1er trimestre dans cette population. / OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of combined screening for pregnancy hypertensive disorders by maternal characteristics, first trimester uterine artery Doppler (UAD) and serum biomarkers (Inhibine A, PP-13, hCG, ADAM12, PAPP-A et PlGF). STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective cohort study, 893 nulliparous women had UAD evaluation and collection of serum sample at 11-14 weeks. RESULTS: 40 women developed preeclampsia (4.5%) of which 9 early-onset preeclampsia (1.0%), and 16 severe preeclampsia (1.8%). The best model to predict preeclampsia associated maternal charateristics, PAPP-A and PlGF (detection rate 87.5% for 10% of false positive). UAD was correlated to PAPP-A concentration (r=-0.117 ; p<0.001), and so did not add to predictive accuracy. CONCLUSION: Combination of maternal characteristics and first trimester PlGF and PAPP-A provides a useful screening for severe preeclampsia. First trimester UAD was not an efficient screening tool in this population.

Eine Dysbalance zwischen Sauerstoffradikalen und der plasmatischen antioxidativen Kapazität sowie eine gesteigerte Aktivität der neutrophilen Granulozyten werden als mögliche pathophysiologische Faktoren der Schwangerschaftserkrankungen Präeklampsie (PE) und intrauterine Wachstumsretardierung (IUGR) diskutiert. Das Ziel der Studie war, zu prüfen, ob der plasmatische antioxidative Status und die Plasmaspiegel der neutrophilen Granulozyten Myeloperoxidase und PMN Elastase bei Schwangerschaften mit uteriner Perfusionsstörung, die ein Hochrisikokollektiv für die oben genannten Schwangerschaftskomplikationen darstellen, verändert sind. Die Messungen mit dem immundiagnostischen ELISA zur Bestimmung der antioxidativen Kapazität (ImAnOx) ergaben, dass eine signifikante Erniedrigung der Totalen Antioxidativen Kapazität im Hochrisikokollektiv vorlag. Eine Verbesserung der Risikobeurteilung war durch den ImAnOx-Test nicht möglich. Die Berechnung des Antioxidativen Quotienten durch die zusätzliche Bestimmung des Harnsäurespiegels konnte die Voraussage nicht verbessern. Zur inflammatorischen Komponente mit Hilfe der Enzymspiegelmessungen zeigten die Ergebnisse weder einen Zusammenhang mit der uterinen Perfusionsstörung noch verbesserten sie die Einschätzung des Risikos. Anhand der Ergebnisse wird deutlich, dass mit der uterinen Dopplersonographie insbesondere für das fetale Geburtsgewicht eine Kalkulation möglich ist.