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- Akhter, Tansim, 1967-, et al.
(author)
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Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes in Singleton Nulliparous Spontaneous Preterm Birth with and without Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes—A National Population-Based Cohort Study
- 2022
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In: American Journal of Perinatology. - : Georg Thieme Verlag KG. - 0735-1631 .- 1098-8785.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective Preterm birth (PTB, birth before 37 gestational weeks) is the leading cause of neonatal death and a major challenge for obstetric and neonatal care. About two-thirds of PTBs are spontaneous PTB (sPTB), of which approximately 30% start with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The aim of the study was to investigate risk factors and maternal and perinatal outcomes in sPTB with and without PPROM.Study Design This is a national population-based cohort study including all singleton pregnancies in nulliparous women with spontaneous onset of labor and vaginal births (n = 266,968) registered in the Swedish Medical Birth Register 2005 to 2014. sPTB with PPROM (sPTB-PPROM) and sPTB without PPROM were compared regarding risk factors and maternal and perinatal outcomes. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Adjustments were made for maternal age, body mass index, country of birth, smoking, chronic hypertension, pregestational and gestational diabetes, and gestational length.Results sPTB-PPROM (n = 5,037), compared with sPTB without PPROM (n = 8,426), was more common in women with previous spontaneous abortions, prepregnancy urinary tract infections, chronic hypertension, and gestational diabetes and had a higher risk of postpartum endometritis (aOR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.55–5.00). Infants born to women with sPTB-PPROM had a lower risk of birth asphyxia (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.43–0.83), respiratory distress syndrome (aOR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.70–1.00), retinopathy of prematurity (aOR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.92–0.94), necrotizing enterocolitis (aOR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.94–0.96), and higher risk of hypoglycemia (aOR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.28), and hyperbilirubinemia (aOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.19–1.38) compared with infants born to sPTB without PPROM.Conclusion Our findings of risk factors and distinct differences in adverse outcomes after sPTB-PPROM compared with sPTB without PPROM are of vital importance and might serve as a basis when elaborating programs for the prevention and management of PPROM.
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- Axfors, Cathrine, et al.
(author)
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Pre-pregnancy participation and performance in world's largest cross-country ski race as a proxy for physical exercise and fitness, and perinatal outcomes : Prospective registry-based cohort study
- 2023
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In: British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1470-0328 .- 1471-0528. ; 130:8, s. 891-901
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Investigate associations between pre-pregnancy participation and performance in a demanding cross-country ski race (proxy for exercise volume and fitness) and perinatal outcomes. Pre-registered protocol: osf.io/aywg2.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Based on entire overlap between the Vasaloppet registry and the population-based Swedish Pregnancy Register.Sample: All female Vasaloppet participants 1991-2017 with subsequent singleton delivery (skiers), and age- and county-matched non-skiers.Methods: We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for non-skiers versus skiers (model 1) and, among skiers, by performance (model 2), in Bayesian logistic regressions adjusted for socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. We repeated calculations adjusting for early pregnancy body mass index (potential mediator) and explored robustness (selection/exposure settings; multiple comparisons correction).Main outcome measures: Twenty-nine important perinatal outcomes, predefined based on existing expert consensus.Results: Non-skiers (n = 194 384) versus skiers (n = 15 377) (and slower versus faster performance, not shown) consistently had higher odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR 1.70, 95% highest density interval: 1.40-2.09), excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) (1.28, 1.22-1.38), psychiatric morbidity (1.60, 1.49-1.72), any caesarean section (CS) (1.34, 1.28-1.40), elective CS (1.39, 1.29-1.49), and large-for-gestational-age babies (> 90th percentile, 1.11, 1.04-1.18); lower odds of inadequate GWG (0.83, 0.79-0.88); and no associations with fetal/neonatal complications (e.g. preterm birth [1.09, 0.98-1.20], small for gestational age [SGA] [1.23, 1.05-1.45]). Adjustment for body mass index attenuated associations with excessive (1.20, 1.14-1.30) and inadequate GWG (0.87, 0.83-0.92) and large for gestational age (1.07, 1.00-1.13).Conclusion: Non-skiers compared with skiers, and slower versus faster performance, consistently displayed higher odds of GDM, excessive GWG, psychiatric morbidity, CS and large-for-gestational-age babies; and lower odds of inadequate GWG, after adjustment for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors and comorbidities. There were no associations with fetal/neonatal complications.
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- Bjersand, Kathrine, et al.
(author)
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Ex vivo assessment of cancer drug sensitivity in epithelial ovarian cancer and its association with histopathological type, treatment history and clinical outcome
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Oncology. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1019-6439 .- 1791-2423. ; 61:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is divided into type I and type II based on histopathological features. Type I is clinically more indolent, but also less sensitive to chemotherapy, compared with type II. The basis for this difference is not fully clarified. The present study investigated the pattern of drug activity in type I and type II EOC for standard cytotoxic drugs and recently introduced tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and assessed the association with treatment history and clinical outcome. Isolated EOC tumor cells obtained at surgery were investigated for their sensitivity to seven standard cytotoxic drugs and nine TKIs using a short-term fluorescent microculture cytotoxicity assay (FMCA). Drug activity was compared with respect to EOC subtype, preoperative chemotherapy, cross-resistance and association with progression-free survival (PFS). Out of 128 EOC samples, 120 samples, including 21 type I and 99 type II, were successfully analyzed using FMCA. Patients with EOC type I had a significantly longer PFS time than patients with EOC type II (P=0.01). In line with clinical experience, EOC type I samples were generally more resistant than type II samples to both standard cytotoxic drugs and the TKIs, reaching statistical significance for cisplatin (P=0.03) and dasatinib (P=0.002). A similar pattern was noted in samples from patients treated with chemotherapy prior to surgery compared with treatment-naive samples, reaching statistical significance for fluorouracil, irinotecan, dasatinib and nintedanib (all P<0.05). PFS time gradually shortened with increasing degree of drug resistance. Cross-resistance between drugs was in most cases statistically significant yet moderate in degree (r<0.5). The clinically observed relative drug resistance of EOC type I, as well as in patients previously treated, is at least partly due to mechanisms in the tumor cells. These mechanisms seemingly also encompass kinase inhibitors. Ex vivo assessment of drug activity is suggested to have a role in the optimization of drug therapy in EOC.
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- Björvang, Richelle D., et al.
(author)
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Mid-pregnancy allopregnanolone levels and trajectories of perinatal depressive symptoms
- 2024
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In: Psychoneuroendocrinology. - : Elsevier. - 0306-4530 .- 1873-3360. ; 164
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perinatal depression is a major cause of disability for individuals giving birth worldwide, with detrimental effects on short- and long-term parental and child outcomes. There is emerging evidence that the neuroactive steroid hormone allopregnanolone is implicated in the pathophysiology and course of perinatal mood symptoms. However, no study thus far has examined allopregnanolone levels whilst making use of longitudinal data on depressive symptom trajectories throughout the perinatal period. The present study investigated levels of allopregnanolone at gestational week 17 of 252 participants in relation to perinatal depressive symptom trajectories, with a secondary aim of exploring the role of history of depression as an effect modifier. Four perinatal depressive symptom trajectories were investigated: controls (no depressive symptoms throughout perinatal period) (N=161), antepartum (depressive symptoms prenatally with postpartum remission) (N=31), postpartumonset (no depressive symptoms during pregnancy, development of depressive symptoms postpartum) (N=23), and persistent (depressive symptoms throughout the perinatal period) (N=37). Results show that for every one nmol/l increase in allopregnanolone, there was 7% higher odds for persistent depressive symptoms (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.14) compared to controls. No association was seen for antepartum and postpartum-onset depressive symptoms. History of depression did not modify the association between allopregnanolone and perinatal depressive symptom trajectories. These results show the role of allopregnanolone for persistent depressive symptoms and strengthen the hypothesis of differences in pathophysiology among the trajectories.
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- Bränn, Emma, 1988-
(author)
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Biomarkers for Peripartum Depression : Focusing on aspects of the immune system and the metabolome
- 2021
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Peripartum depression is a common, multifactorial, and potentially devastating disease among new mothers. A biological marker for peripartum depression would facilitate early detection, better understanding of the pathophysiology, and identification of targets for treatment. Evidence is growing for a potential role of the immune system in depression outside the peripartum period. Major adaptations of the immune system occur during pregnancy, justifying the search for immunological markers for peripartum depression. The immune system is very complex and dynamic during pregnancy, complicating the study of associations with depression. The metabolome is also affected by pregnancy and is linked to the immune system via, e.g., the microbiota. Hence, metabolomic profiling could increase the understanding of peripartum depression. This thesis aimed to explore inflammatory markers and metabolic profiles in the peripartum period, in order to discover possible biomarkers, and to increase the understanding of the pathophysiology of peripartum depression.All studies were conducted within the Biology, Affect, Stress, Imaging, and Cognition (BASIC) study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview were used to assess depressive symptoms. Multiplex Proximity Extension assays were used to analyze inflammatory markers in pregnancy and postpartum. Luminex Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine Assays were used to analyze cytokine levels across the peripartum period, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics were used for metabolic profiling. No marker was discriminative enough to be used on its own as a biomarker for peripartum depression. However, several inflammatory markers (such as STAM-BP, TRANCE, HGF, IL-18, FGF-23, and CXCL1) were identified as possible candidates for more advanced diagnostic algorithms. The results further pointed towards the importance of adaptation of the immune system during pregnancy and postpartum, where levels of cytokines such as VEGF-A might have an important role in antenatal and postpartum depression. The results even highlight the importance of examination timing. Lastly, the metabolic profiling suggested different subgroups of women with postpartum depressive symptoms, supporting theories of peripartum depression being a heterogeneous disease in need of subgroup definition.
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- Bränn, Emma, et al.
(author)
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Inflammatory markers in women with postpartum depressive symptoms
- 2020
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In: Journal of Neuroscience Research. - : Wiley. - 0360-4012 .- 1097-4547. ; 98:7, s. 1309-1321
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Postpartum depression (PPD) is a devastating disorder affecting not only more than 10% of all women giving birth, but also the baby, the family, and the society. Compiling evidence suggests the involvement of the immune system in the pathophysiology of major depression; yet, the immune response in perinatal depression is not as well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in peripheral levels of inflammatory biomarkers in 169 Swedish women with and without depressive symptoms according to the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale or the M.I.N.I neuropsychiatric interview at eight weeks postpartum. Among the 70 markers analyzed with multiplex proximity extension assay, five were significantly elevated in women with postpartum depressive symptoms in the adjusted LASSO logistic regression analysis: Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member (TRANCE) (OR-per 1 SD increase = 1.20), Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (OR = 1.17) Interleukin (IL)-18 (OR = 1.06), Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) (OR = 1.25), and C-X-C motif chemokine 1 (CXCL1) (OR 1.11). These results indicate that women with PPD have elevated levels of some inflammatory biomarkers. It is, therefore, plausible that PPD is associated with a compromised adaptability of the immune system.
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8. |
- Bränn, Emma, et al.
(author)
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Longitudinal assessment of inflammatory markers in the peripartum period by depressive symptom trajectory groups
- 2022
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In: Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health. - : Elsevier. - 2666-3546. ; 22
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ObjectiveMechanisms driving temporal fluctuations of inflammatory markers during pregnancy, and how these might differ between distinct perinatal depressive trajectories, are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate cytokines levels over the course of pregnancy in women with different trajectories of depressive symptoms peripartum, and relate the levels to levels of non-pregnant controls.MethodsBased on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and/or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors use, 131 women were categorized into: no (n = 65); antepartum (APD, n = 19), postpartum (PPD, n = 17) and persistent (n = 30) depressive symptoms. Plasma samples (n = 386) were analyzed for levels of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-18, Tumor necrosis factor-α, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and fractalkine, at four different time-points (twice during pregnancy, during childbirth, and postpartum) using Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine Assays. Generalized linear mixed models were applied to analyze the associations between cytokine levels, time-point, perinatal depressive symptom trajectory group and their interaction.ResultsFor all markers but VEGF-A, pregnancy was associated with higher cytokine levels compared to the non-pregnant controls, with delivery being the most prominent time-point. For M-CSF, IL-18 and VEGF-A, levels were back to the non-pregnant status at postpartum week 8. An effect of perinatal depressive symptom trajectory groups on cytokine levels was found for VEGF-A. Women with PPD and women with APD had lower levels of VEGF-A throughout the study period compared to women with persistent depression, and women with PPD had lower levels compared to non-depressed women.ConclusionsLower levels of VEGF-A were noted among women in some trajectories of depressive symptoms peripartum. The peripartum period is a time of tremendous immune system adaptations. Standardization of time-points for cytokine measurements in studies of perinatal depression are important in order to draw valid conclusions on the role of the immune system in perinatal depression.
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9. |
- Castro, Rita Amiel, et al.
(author)
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Pregnancy-related hormones and COMT genotype : Associations with maternal working memory
- 2021
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In: Psychoneuroendocrinology. - : Elsevier. - 0306-4530 .- 1873-3360. ; 132
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Women experience different degrees of subjective cognitive changes during pregnancy. The exact mechanism underlying these changes is unknown, although endocrine alterations and genetics may be contributing factors. We investigated whether multiple pregnancy-related hormones were associated with working memory function assessed with the Digit Span Test (DST) in late pregnancy. Moreover, we examined whether the catechol-Omethyltransferase (COMT) genotype, previously related to working memory, was an effect modifier in this association. In this population-based panel study, we recorded psychiatric history, medication use, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological well-being, gathered blood and saliva samples, and administered the DST at gestational weeks 35-39 (N = 216). We conducted multivariate linear regressions with DST as outcome, with different hormones and COMT genotype, adjusting for covariates including maternal age, BMI, education, depressive symptoms, and parity. We repeated these analyses excluding women with elevated depressive symptoms. Higher DST total scores were associated with increased free estradiol concentrations (B = 0.01, p = 0.03; B = 0.01, p = 0.02) in all participants and in participants without depressive symptoms, respectively, whereas DST forward was positively associated with free estradiol only in women without depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, p = 0.04). Lower total testosterone concentrations (B = -0.03, p = 0.01) enhanced DST backward performance in non-depressed women. Maternal higher education was significantly associated with the DST subscales in all participants. No significant differences emerged when considering the COMT genotype. Our results suggest differential associations of free estradiol and total testosterone levels with working memory function in late pregnancy.
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- Cederlöf, Elin Täufer, et al.
(author)
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Biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease in women with spontaneous preterm birth : A case-control study.
- 2024
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In: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Women with spontaneous preterm birth have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Studies suggest potential pathophysiological mechanisms in common, but whether these could be identified by measurement of soluble circulating protein biomarkers in women with spontaneous preterm birth is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if protein biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease distinguish women with spontaneous preterm birth from healthy controls, both at pregnancy and at follow up.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Study participants were identified in the population-based Uppsala biobank of pregnant women in Sweden, where plasma samples were collected in mid-pregnancy. In a first screening phase, we identified participants who subsequently experienced spontaneous preterm birth (<37 weeks) in the index pregnancy (N = 13) and controls (N = 6). In these samples, differences in protein expression were examined by comparative mass spectrometry. In a second validation phase, we invited 100 cases with previous spontaneous preterm birth in the index pregnancy and 100 controls (matched for age, body mass index, and year of delivery) from the same source population, to a follow-up visit 4-15 years after pregnancy. At follow up, we collected plasma samples and data on cardiovascular risk factors. We measured concentrations of selected biomarkers identified in the screening phase, as well as lipid profiles in samples both from pregnancy (biobank) and follow up.CLINICALTRIALS: gov registration NCT05693285.RESULTS: In the screening phase, fibrinogen, cadherin-5, complement C5, factor XII, plasma kallikrein, apolipoprotein M, and vitamin D-binding protein differed significantly at pregnancy. In the validation phase, 65 women agreed to participate (35 cases and 30 controls), with a median follow-up time of 11.8 years since pregnancy. The concentration of fibrinogen (p = 0.02) and triglycerides (p = 0.03) were slightly higher in cases compared with matched controls at follow up.CONCLUSIONS: Compared with women without preterm birth, those with spontaneous preterm birth had slightly higher concentrations of fibrinogen, both at mid-pregnancy and a decade after pregnancy. Additionally, we found slightly higher concentration of triglycerides at follow up in women with previous spontaneous preterm birth. The relevance of this finding is uncertain but might indicate potential pathophysiological mechanisms in common between spontaneous preterm birth and cardiovascular disease.
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