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Biomedical subjects

S G Driscoll

Publications and source records attributed to S G Driscoll.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Oral contraceptive use and risk of gestational trophoblastic tumors.

BACKGROUND: Gestational trophoblastic disease refers to a spectrum of rare benign and malignant gynecologic disorders whose pathogenesis is not well understood. Recent studies from China and the United States have raised the hypothesis that long-term use of oral contraceptives before conception may increase the risk of gestational trophoblastic tumors. A multicenter case-control study of gestational trophoblastic tumors was undertaken to test this hypothesis. METHODS: Telephone interviews were conducted with 235 case patients, including 50 with gestational choriocarcinoma, and 413 control subjects matched on recentness of pregnancy, age at pregnancy, and area of residence. Relative risks (odds ratios) were computed by conditional logistic regression. Reported P values are two-sided. RESULTS: The relative risk estimate for ever having used oral contraceptives before the index pregnancy was 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-3.0), and the risk increased with duration of use (P for trend = .05). The estimate was highest for women who used oral contraceptives during the cycle in which they became pregnant (relative risk = 4.0; 95% CI=1.6-10), but there was no consistent pattern according to the time interval since last use. Separate analyses of choriocarcinoma and persistent mole yielded similar results, i.e., the relative risk estimates for oral contraceptive use were 2.2 (95% CI=0.8-6.4) and 1.8 (95% CI=1.0-3.0), respectively. Control for the number of sexual partners, which was independently associated with risk (P for trend = .05), did not materially change the results. CONCLUSIONS: This study, the largest to date, indicates that long duration of oral contraceptive use before conception increases the risk of gestational trophoblastic tumors. These findings may provide clues to the pathogenesis of this rare disease. Changes in use of oral contraceptives are not warranted, however, because the incidence attributable to oral contraceptive use is very low.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Complexities of limb anomalies: the lower extremity in the "prune belly" phenotype.

The so-called "prune belly" syndrome (PBS) consists of megalocystis, cryptorchidism, and marked abdominal distension; in addition to these findings, many other abnormalities are commonly present, rarely including severe anomalies of the leg. We report two such individuals, in whom PBS coexisted with abnormal development of the lower extremity. The first, a still-born male fetus, was delivered at 21 weeks gestation; generalized hypoplasia of both legs was present, more marked distally than proximally, and more severe on the left. The second case, a liveborn male infant, was the second of dichorionic twins, delivered at 33 weeks gestation; this infant died at two hours from respiratory insufficiency due to pulmonary hypoplasia. There was severe hypoplasia of the right leg, with gangrenous necrosis of all tissues distal to the knee. Additional findings included a single right umbilical artery, and a small congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the right lung. The findings in these cases are compared to other similar cases in the literature, and possible mechanisms for the etiology and pathogenesis of maldevelopment of the leg in PBS are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Cardiac rhabdomyoma. Rare cause of fetal death.

Two cases of nonimmune hydrops fetalis and fetal death associated with cardiac rhabdomyoma are reported. Case 1 presented with fetal supraventricular tachycardia, and cardiac rhabdomyoma was accurately diagnosed by fetal echocardiography. Autopsy revealed multiple rhabdomyomata involving the right atrial free wall, the sinoatrial node, and the left ventricle. The left circumflex coronary artery was extrinsically compressed by adjacent tumor tissue, causing left ventricular myocardial infarction. Case 2 had a unique, pedunculated, ball-like rhabdomyoma that almost totally occluded the mitral orifice. The causes of fetal death in patients with cardiac rhabdomyoma are analyzed and the possibility of fetal surgical management is proposed.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Placental examination in a clinical setting.

Placental examination has been proved to be of clinical value in cases selected because of gestational complications, unusual disorders of mother or infant, perinatal death, problems in perinatal diagnosis, and multiple pregnancy. Ten percent to 15% of births meet these criteria for selection. Causes of perinatal death, such as placental abruption, cord accidents, placental infarction, infection, and hematologic disorders, have been demonstrated. Clinically occult abnormalities, including chronic infections, maternal vascular disease, neoplasms, and storage diseases, have been recognized. Amniotic lesions and single umbilical artery have directed attention to fetal malformations. Monozygosity has been documented by monochorionic placentation. As a diagnostic source, the placenta has contributed to clinical care, understanding of disabilities among surviving children, and insight of forensic value. Limitations of placental studies stem from their qualitative nature and from gaps in current knowledge of gestational pathophysiology.

Congenital Abnormalities↗
PubMed1990

Cancer-related maternal mortality in Massachusetts, 1954-1985.

Cancer-related maternal mortality is a rare event. We report the first population-based study of this issue using data collected by the Committee on Maternal Welfare of the Massachusetts Medical Society between 1954 and 1985. The incidence of cancer-related maternal mortality during the study period fell from 3.16 to 0 per 100,000 live births. The most common cancer-associated maternal deaths were due to central nervous system tumors and hematological cancers. To determine the effects of pregnancy on cancer mortality, we compared our data with figures from the Connecticut Register of Mortality for Women aged 15-44. In the pregnant group there was a significantly higher incidence of mortality due to central nervous system tumors and a significantly lower incidence of mortality due to breast cancer. The data suggest that pregnancy may not be contraindicated for a woman with a history of breast cancer, but may be contraindicated for a woman with a history of a central nervous system tumor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: sonographic findings.

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (intrauterine parabiotic syndrome) is a potentially serious complication of monochorionic twinning. The frequency of fetal and neonatal death and perinatal morbidity is significantly higher than that in twin pregnancies uncomplicated by the syndrome. The authors present sonographic findings in ten cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome proved by means of pathologic examination of the placenta and/or laboratory findings. The cases all involved diamniotic twins and covered a broad range of severity. Discordant fetal size and differing amniotic fluid volume in the two sacs were the most common findings. In more severe cases, hydrops of the recipient fetus and/or a "stuck" donor fetus was seen. Intrauterine death of one or both twins was observed in four cases. Familiarity with the sonographic patterns of the twin-twin transfusion syndrome can allow one to suggest the diagnosis in utero so that appropriate management can be undertaken.

Female↗
PubMed1988

Incidence of spontaneous abortion among normal women and insulin-dependent diabetic women whose pregnancies were identified within 21 days of conception.

Whether pregnant women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of spontaneous abortion is controversial. To address this question, we enrolled 386 women with insulin-dependent diabetes and 432 women without diabetes before or within 21 days after conception and followed both groups prospectively. Sixty-two diabetic women (16.1 percent) and 70 control women (16.2 percent) had pregnancy losses (odds ratio, 0.99; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.67 to 1.46). After adjustment for known risk factors for spontaneous abortion, the rate was still not significantly higher in the diabetic group (odds ratio, 0.91; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.59 to 1.40). Nonetheless, among the diabetic women, most of whom had good metabolic control, those who had spontaneous abortions had higher fasting and postprandial glucose levels in the first trimester than those whose pregnancies continued to delivery (P = 0.01 for fasting glucose levels and P = 0.005 for postprandial levels). In the small subgroup of diabetic women with poor control, who had elevated values for glycosylated hemoglobin in the first trimester, each increase of 1 SD above the normal range was associated with an increase of 3.1 percent in the rate of pregnancy loss (95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 5.6). We conclude that diabetic women with good metabolic control are no more likely than nondiabetic women to lose a pregnancy, but that diabetic women with elevated blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the first trimester have a significantly increased risk of having a spontaneous abortion.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1988

Hydatidiform moles. Application of flow cytometry in diagnosis.

Hydropic chorionic villi are found in hydropic abortuses, partial hydatidiform moles (PM), and complete hydatidiform moles. Partial and complete moles have the potential for persistent trophoblastic disease. The vast majority of partial moles are triploid and generally follow a benign clinical course. Complete moles are diploid and distant metastasis and choriocarcinoma may develop. The authors determined the nuclear ploidy by flow cytometry of 31 placentas, 19 of which appeared hydropic either on obstetric ultrasonography or gross examination. Of ten complete moles classified by histologic criteria, ten were diploid, whereas five of seven histologically classified PM were triploid. The remaining two cases classified as PM were diploid; one most likely represented a regressing complete mole; the other a hydropic abortus. All 14 control placentas were diploid. In all cases in which karyotypic analysis was performed, the flow cytometric determination of ploidy was confirmed. It was concluded that DNA flow cytometric analysis is a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective means for assaying nuclear ploidy in these tissues, and as such, offers an informative supplement to the histological interpretation of hydropic placentas.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1988

Hemorrhage, infection, toxemia, and cardiac disease, 1954-85: causes for their declining role in maternal mortality.

Hemorrhage, infection, toxemia, and cardiac disease are no longer the leading causes of maternal death. We studied factors causing their decline in incidence using data collected by the Committee on Maternal Welfare of the Massachusetts Medical Society between 1954 and 1985. The dramatic decline in incidence of these conditions in the Commonwealth during the study period appears to have been due to both legislative actions and improvements in medical practice. The legislative actions included licensing of maternity services, blood banks, and legalization of abortion. Cardiac-related mortality has declined due to a reduction in the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease. Changes in clinical practice that stand out were the aggressive control of the hypertensive component of toxemia leading to a reduced incidence of intracranial hemorrhage, the prompt recourse to blood transfusion for hemorrhage, and the use of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Female↗
PubMed1988

Clinical experience with placental site trophoblastic tumors at the New England Trophoblastic Disease Center.

From 1982-1986, seven patients with pathologically confirmed placental site trophoblastic tumors underwent treatment at the New England Trophoblastic Disease Center. All seven patients presented with nonmetastatic disease; the presenting symptom was vaginal bleeding in six patients and amenorrhea in one patient. Mitotic counts of the tumor may vary among endometrial curettings, hysterectomy specimens, and metastatic lesions. When placental site trophoblastic tumor is diagnosed on endometrial curettage, a thorough metastatic workup should be undertaken. Because of this tumor's poor response to chemotherapy, a diagnosis of nonmetastatic placental site trophoblastic tumor should be followed by prompt hysterectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Maternal mortality in Massachusetts. Trends and prevention.

To identify ways in which the safety of childbirth might be increased, we investigated the causes of death among the 886 women who died during pregnancy or within 90 days post partum ("maternal deaths") in Massachusetts from 1954 through 1985. The maternal mortality rate declined from 50 per 100,000 live births in the early 1950s to the current rate of 10 per 100,000 live births. Between one third and one half of the maternal deaths were considered to have been preventable. The leading causes of maternal death from 1954 through 1957 were infection, cardiac disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and hemorrhage. In contrast, from 1982 through 1985 the leading causes of death were trauma (suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents) and pulmonary embolus. We observed a rapid increase in the frequency of death among women who received little or no antenatal care. From 1980 through 1984 the maternal mortality rate for white women was 9.6 per 100,000 live births, whereas for nonwhites it was 35 per 100,000 live births (relative risk, 2.9; 95 percent confidence limits, 2.5 and 3.2). Fifty percent of the nonwhite women who died during pregnancy or within 90 days post partum received little or no antenatal care, in contrast to only 15 percent of the white women. These data show that the leading causes of maternal death have changed markedly in Massachusetts during the past 30 years. Although the overall maternal mortality rate has declined sharply, further improvement may occur with better antenatal care and specific efforts to prevent trauma and pulmonary embolus.

Cesarean Section↗
PubMed1987

Transposition of the external genitalia associated with caudal regression.

Complete transposition of the external genitalia is a rare abnormality that occasionally is associated with the caudal regression syndrome. We report the pathological findings of this abnormality in a male stillborn and a female newborn. The male stillborn had extensive urogenital anomalies as well as complete transposition of the external genitalia and agenesis of the lumbar spine. The female patient had renal tract anomalies and ambiguous external genitalia with a phallic structure in the gluteal cleft. In surviving infants with transposition of the external genitalia immediate evaluation of the urogenital system is necessary to identify the full extent of any associated internal defects.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1987

Persistence of partial mole.

Between January 1979 and August 1984, 8 of 81 patients with partial molar pregnancy who were followed at the New England Trophoblastic Disease Center had persistent trophoblastic tumor develop. No significant clinical differences were noted between such patients and others whose partial moles did not persist. On microscopic examination, none of the initial molar specimens manifested an unusual degree of trophoblastic proliferation or atypia. In six patients, curettage immediately preceding the initiation of treatment for persistent disease revealed viable molar tissue. In four, this was associated with trophoblastic hyperplasia and atypia. All patients who had persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor achieved remission with single-agent chemotherapy. Monitoring of serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels after partial molar pregnancy is recommended to detect persistent disease and effect prompt therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Problems and pitfalls in the histopathologic diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic lesions.

Proliferative lesions of gestational trophoblast pose problems of interpretation and pitfalls in differential diagnosis. Normally an actively proliferative and invasive tissue, healthy trophoblast shares cytologic features with malignant neoplasms. When trophoblastic hyperplasia accompanies macroscopic villous swelling, a diagnosis of hydatidiform mole (HM) is in order. Exuberant and atypical avillous trophoblast characterizes choriocarcinoma (CCA) and placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT). The distinction between them rests on the dimorphic composition of CCA as contrasted with the relative monomorphism of PSTT. Immunohistochemical studies contribute to the latter differential diagnosis. Unfortunately, two common conditions share morphologic features with the major lesions of gestational trophoblast. The hydropic abortus may resemble HM; the banal implantation site in normal early pregnancy and later spontaneous abortion may suggest either CCA or PSTT. Familiarity with the normal and benign variants of chorionic epithelium and thorough tissue sampling may be helpful in difficult cases. Ambiguous lesions that do not conform to conventional classification should be referred for consultation. A few, however, will not fit neatly into diagnostic categories. In such instances, a descriptive report and clear communication with the patient's physician provide the best current approach to clinical follow-up.

Choriocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Pathologic findings in fetal GM1 gangliosidosis.

A 24-week fetus with GM1 gangliosidosis (type 1) was studied using biochemical and histopathologic methods. Foam cells in viscera and placenta demonstrated widespread accumulation of a lipidlike material. By microscopy, central nervous system storage appeared confined to the retina and dorsal root ganglia, but the brain ganglioside content was measurably elevated compared with that of age-matched controls. These data, along with those of others, imply that, if the observed pathologic findings are irreversible, any attempts at intrauterine therapy must commence prior to the middle of the second trimester.

Abortion, Induced↗