6 research outputs found
Investigation of Gasdermin-D and Pannexin-1 in Omental Adipose and Placental Tissues in Obese Pregnant Women
No full textAim: Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) and pannexin-1 (PANX1), which are proinflammatory proteins, may be involved in the pathogenesis of complications in pregnant women with obesity. We aimed to investigate the expression of GSDMD and PANX1 biochemically in samples of maternal omental and placental tissue obtained from pregnant women with or without obesity, and their correlation with maternal, obstetric, and fetal/neonatal variables.
Methods: The prospective observational study included 79 pregnant women who underwent elective cesarean sections with a pregnancy between 37 and 41 weeks from December 2021 to April 2022. They were divided into three study groups according to their body mass index (BMI): normal weight (with a BMI 30) (n=26). Omental and placental GSDMD and PANX1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay between the groups.
Results: In the homogenate of omental tissue, the median levels of GSDMD and PANX1 protein in the overweight and obese groups were significantly lower than those in the normal weight groups (p=0.0154 and p=0.0184, respectively). In the placental tissue samples, the median levels of GSDMD and PANX1 proteins in the normal weight, overweight, and obese groups were similar.
Conclusion: GSDMD and PANX1 expressions were shown for the first time in the omentum and placenta together; which has the potential to be used as a predictive and diagnostic test panel after further studies in obese pregnant women
Preoperative assessment of myometrial and cervical invasion in endometrial carcinoma by transvaginal ultrasound
No full textOxidative stress biomarkers as novel screening tools for trisomy 21: a case-control study
No full textAbstract Objective Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), as chromosome 21 harbors multiple genes involved in redox homeostasis and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of transcription factors nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NFKB), along with antioxidant enzymes cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1) in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal serum (MS) as potential biomarkers for prenatal screening of Down syndrome (DS). Methods This prospective case-control study included singleton pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis between 16 and 24 weeks of gestation at Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. Participants were divided into two groups: 28 pregnancies with DS confirmed by karyotype analysis (DS group) and 37 pregnancies with normal karyotype results (non-DS group). Amniotic fluid and maternal blood samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits to measure the levels of selected biomarkers. Results NQO1 levels were significantly higher in the DS group compared to the non-DS group in both amniotic fluid (924.84 ± 475.94 vs. 505.62 ± 358.17 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and maternal serum (716.216 ± 242.91 vs. 394.87 ± 344.86 ng/ml, p < 0.001). NRF2 levels were significantly lower in the DS group in both amniotic fluid (3.77 ± 4.20 vs. 6.47 ± 5.53 ng/ml, p = 0.029) and maternal serum (7.54 ± 5.68 vs. 14.46 ± 16.53 ng/ml, p = 0.022). Conclusion The study highlights the importance of further research to validate the use of these antioxidant enzymes and transcription factors in non-invasive prenatal testing, which may reduce the need for invasive procedures and associated complications. Clinical trial number Not applicable
Fetal lung maturity assessment with lamellar body count in women with obesity and excessive gestational weight gain
No full textThe aim of this study was to evaluate fetal lung maturation in term pregnant women with obesity and excessive gestational weight gain using the lamellar body count (LBC) test in amniotic fluid samples obtained during cesarean section. This retrospective study included women experiencing term pregnancies and undergoing cesarean delivery, categorized as normal weight (n=37), overweight (n=59), or obese (n=48) due to body mass index values of 18.5 to 24.9; 25 to 29.9; and ≥30, respectively, as well as presence of excessive weight gain during pregnancy. During cesarean delivery, amniotic fluid samples were obtained without contamination of blood or meconium. Lamellar bodies in these samples were quantified using a standard hematologic counter. No significant difference was found among the LBC of the normal weight, overweight, and obese groups [42 (32-60), 40 (26-63), and 43 (24-52) x103/µL; p=0.307], although there was a subtle decrease in the LBC of the obese group with excessive weight gain. Although it is noteworthy that the LBC in the amniotic fluid of mothers with obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy showed a partial decrease, this decrease did not reach statistical significance, likely due to the relatively low number of cases in the study groups. Additional research is warranted to elucidate the relationship between LBC alterations and the severity of obesity and weight gain during pregnancy. [Med-Science 2023; 12(4.000): 1278-83
Turkish Adaptation, Reliability, and Validity of the SAMANTA Questionnaire for Non-Pregnant Women of Reproductive Age
No full textBackground: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) significantly impacts women’s quality of life (QoL). However, despite the high prevalence of HMB, culturally adapted screening tools remain scarce in Turkey. This study aimed to adapt and validate the SAMANTA questionnaire for non-pregnant Turkish women of reproductive age. Methods: This two-stage methodological study was conducted between January and June 2023. The adaptation process involved translating the SAMANTA questionnaire and culturally aligning it to Turkish healthcare practices. Psychometric testing was conducted on 148 women aged 18–45 years recruited from outpatient gynecological services at a tertiary care institution. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC). Validity was evaluated by examining correlations between questionnaire scores and external measures of HMB severity and QoL. Results: The Turkish SAMANTA questionnaire exhibited satisfactory internal consistency, reflected by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.713, and an ICC of 0.668, reflecting moderate reproducibility across the test-retest assessment. Significant correlations with external measures, including HMB severity (r = 0.762), supported its criterion validity. Over half of the participants (50.7%) scored ≥3, indicating the presence of HMB symptoms. Responses highlighted the substantial impact of HMB on daily activities, emotional well-being, and social engagement. Conclusions: The Turkish SAMANTA questionnaire represents a reliable and culturally appropriate tool for screening HMB. The straightforward design and cultural adaptation make the Turkish SAMANTA questionnaire suitable for identifying women who may require further clinical evaluation. Future research should explore its utility in various clinical contexts, including primary care, and community health initiatives
Turkish adaptation of the antenatal risk questionnaire-revised: study of validity and reliability
No full textAbstract Objective This study sought to translate the Antenatal Risk Questionnaire-Revised (ANRQ-R) into Turkish and evaluate its psychometric properties for assessing psychosocial vulnerabilities among Turkish-speaking pregnant women. Methods The ANRQ-R was translated into Turkish following standard linguistic adaptation procedures. Psychometric properties were then examined using a cross-sectional study design, involving 156 pregnant women recruited from antenatal clinics in Turkey. Participants completed the Turkish ANRQ-R and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Statistical analyses, including intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for test-retest reliability, Pearson correlation analysis for item-total test correlations, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis for diagnostic accuracy, were conducted. Results The ANRQ-R Turkish version showed high test-retest reliability with an ICC of 0.888 for the total score. Moderate to good ICCs were obtained for individual Likert-type items (0.572–0.849). Criterion-related validity was established via moderate correlations with the EPDS and its anxiety subscale EPDS-3 A (r = 0.537 and r = 0.431, respectively). ROC analysis demonstrated good discriminatory power (Area Under the Curve = 0.75) with an optimal cut-off score of 17, yielding 78% sensitivity and 65% specificity for identifying potential depression cases. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence of the overall reliability of the Turkish version of the ANRQ-R as a measure of psychosocial risk among Turkish-speaking women during pregnancy. Despite some limitations in item-level internal consistency indicators, integration of the ANRQ-R into routine antenatal care could enhance early identification and intervention strategies, potentially improving maternal health outcomes. Future research should aim to further validate the scale across diverse populations and settings, using a diagnostic tool as the reference standard
