Abstract Purpose Infertility is common and an increasing number of women go through medically assisted reproduction (fertility treatment) to achieve pregnancy. This may affect mental health. We examined if fertility treatment and the specific fertility treatment method used (in vivo or in vitro) were associated with impaired mental health during or after pregnancy. Methods Using self-reported data from the Odense Child Cohort, we assessed prenatal stress by the 10-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) during pregnancy at median gestational week 27 and postnatal depressive symptoms by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at median postpartum week 15. We compared fertility-treated women overall and by fertility treatment method to women who conceived spontaneously. We conducted linear regression analyses to evaluate the PSS-10 score dimensionally and logistic regression to evaluate EPDS scores above cut-off (≥ 11). Results A total of 108 of 820 women (13%) gave birth after fertility treatment. Their prenatal mean stress (PSS-10) score was 11.38 compared to 11.78 for women who conceived spontaneously, leading to an adjusted mean difference of -0.09 points (95% confidence interval (CI): -1.88 to 1.69). In the fertility-treated group, 9.7% had EPDS scores ≥ 11 compared to 10.7% in the spontaneous conception group (adjusted odds ratio of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.26 to 1.91)). The MAR method (in vivo/ vitro ) did not influence these results. Conclusion Women who gave birth after fertility treatment did not report higher levels of prenatal stress or postpartum depressive symptoms than women who conceived spontaneously.
CORRECTION article Front. Lupus, 04 June 2024Sec. Clinical Research and Treatment in Lupus Volume 2 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/flupu.2024.1432884
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent chemicals capable of crossing the placenta and passing into breast milk. Evidence suggests that PFAS exposure may affect brain development. We investigated whether prenatal or early postnatal PFAS exposure was associated with intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in schoolchildren from the Odense Child Cohort (Denmark, 2010-2020). We assessed concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) in maternal serum collected during the first trimester of pregnancy and in child serum at age 18 months. At 7 years of age, children completed an abbreviated version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition, from which Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) and Verbal Comprehension Index scores were estimated. In multiple linear regression analyses conducted among 967 mother-child pairs, a doubling in maternal PFOS and PFNA concentrations was associated with a lower FSIQ score, while no significant associations were observed for PFOA, PFHxS, or PFDA. PFAS concentrations at age 18 months and duration of breastfeeding were strongly correlated, and even in structural equation models it was not possible to differentiate between the opposite effects of PFAS exposure and duration of breastfeeding on FSIQ. PFAS exposure is ubiquitous; therefore, an association with even a small reduction in IQ is of public health concern.
Neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, and an association between diabetic retinopathy and Parkinson's disease has been proposed. In this nationwide register-based cohort study, we investigated the prevalence and incidence of Parkinson's disease among patients screened for diabetic retinopathy in a Danish population-based cohort. Cases (n = 173 568) above 50 years of age with diabetes included in the Danish Registry of Diabetic Retinopathy between 2013 and 2018 were matched 1:5 by gender and birth year with a control population without diabetes (n = 843 781). At index date, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease was compared between cases and controls. To assess the longitudinal relationship between diabetic retinopathy and Parkinson's disease, a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was estimated. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease was 0.28% and 0.44% among cases and controls, respectively. While diabetic retinopathy was not associated with present (adjusted odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.72-1.21) or incident Parkinson's disease (adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.05), cases with diabetes were in general less likely to have or to develop Parkinson's disease compared to controls without diabetes (adjusted odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.71-0.87 and adjusted hazard ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.00). In a national cohort of more than 1 million persons, patients with diabetes were 21% and 12% were less likely to have prevalent and develop incident Parkinson's disease, respectively, compared to an age- and gender-matched control population without diabetes. We found no indication for diabetic retinopathy as an independent risk factor for incident Parkinson's disease.
Abstract Purpose Rectal anastomoses have a persisting high incidence of anastomotic leakage. This study aimed to assess whether the use of a poly-ϵ-caprolactone (PCL) scaffold as reinforcement of a circular stapled rectal anastomosis could increase tensile strength and improve healing compared to a control in a piglet model. Method Twenty weaned female piglets received a stapled rectal anastomosis and were randomised to either reinforcement with PCL scaffold (intervention) or no reinforcement (control). On postoperative day five the anastomosis was subjected to a tensile strength test followed by a histological examination to evaluate the wound healing according to the Verhofstad scoring. Results The tensile strength test showed no significant difference between the two groups, but histological evaluation revealed significant impaired wound healing in the intervention group. Conclusion The incorporation of a PCL scaffold into a circular stapled rectal anastomosis did not increase anastomotic tensile strength in piglets and indicated an impaired histologically assessed wound healing.
Abstract Aims To investigate associations between body image concerns (BICs) measured by the implantable cardioverter defibrillator body image concerns questionnaire (ICD-BICQ) and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs), in a cohort of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Methods and results In a cross-sectional survey, we included patients > 18 years implanted with a first-time ICD (VVI, DDD, and cardiac re-synchronization therapy defibrillator) who had lived with their ICD from 3–24 months. They completed the 39-item ICD-BICQ together with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Type D Scale, Health Status Questionnaire, and the Florida Patient Acceptance Survey. Data were analysed using linear regression to compare personality constructs between patients with and without BICs. Logistic repression and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to predict patients with BICs based on other PROs. A total of 330 patients completed the survey. Five patients were excluded due to re-operations leaving 325 patients in the analyses. A total of 20% reported BICs at the recommended cut-off at 36 points. Patients with BICs reported higher anxiety and depression levels, lower device acceptance and health status, and had a Type D personality as compared to patients without BICs. Florida Patient Acceptance Survey was moderately able to predict BICs, while other PROs only had limited ability to predict BICs. Conclusion Patients with BICs reported poorer PROs. The PRO instruments were not able to predict patients with BICs, indicating that the ICD-BICQ provides independent relevant clinical information. In clinical practice, healthcare professionals can use the ICD-BICQ to identify and obtain information on possible BICs. The ICD-BICQ can also be used to evaluate new operation techniques.
