A COMPARISON OF ABDOMINAL MUSCLE ACTIVATION, STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE IN WOMEN WITH FULL-TERM BIRTH EXPERIENCE AND NULLIPAROUS WOMEN

Abstract Objective The natural history of women with a short cervix and a low-risk obstetric history remains poorly defined. In our study, we sought to better characterize the impact of previous obstetric history on the delivery outcomes in women diagnosed with a mid-trimester sonographic short cervix. Study Design We performed a retrospective cohort study of women with singleton gestations who underwent transvaginal cervical length screening between 16 and 24 weeks at two urban hospitals in Philadelphia between January 2013 and March 2018 and were found to have a short cervix (defined as ≤2 cm). Women were excluded from the cohort if there were major fetal anomalies noted or if delivery outcome information was not available. The cohort was then divided into three groups based on obstetric history: nulliparous, history of full-term birth only, or history of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). The primary outcome was sPTB <37 weeks, while the secondary outcome was sPTB <34 weeks. Results Our cohort included a total of 384 singleton pregnancies that were diagnosed with a sonographic short cervix: 165 women were nulliparous, 119 women had a history of full-term birth, and 100 women with a history of sPTB. We found that women with a short sonographic cervix had a sPTB rate of 39.6% with no differences found between the three groups. Only two-thirds of nulliparous women and women with a history of full-term birth received the recommended preventative treatment, compared with almost 100% of women with a history of sPTB. Conclusion Women with and without a history of sPTB are at comparable risk of sPTB in the presence of a sonographically short cervix. Preventative therapies should be recommended to both nulliparous women and women with a history of full-term birth since uptake in this population are not as high.

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Interleukin-6 and Malondialdehyde in Women with Preterm Birth

Current Immunology Reviews ◽

10.2174/1573395515666191026140006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 207-212

Author(s):

Vinita Verma ◽

Hina Oza ◽

Riddhi Thaker ◽

Sunil Kumar

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Interleukin 6 ◽

Critical Role ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Maternal Serum ◽

Full Term ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

Term Birth ◽

Weak Negative Correlation

Background: Preterm Birth (PTB) is one of the main causes of neonatal death and infant mortality and morbidity. The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a major proinflammatory mediator of the host response to infection and malondialdehyde (MDA) is a marker of oxidative stress. Objective : To evaluate potential associations between IL-6 and MDA levels in women with preterm birth. Method: A total of 150 women (66 with full-term and 84 with PTB) were enrolled in this case-control study. Predesigned performas were filled through questionnaire interviews to collect data on personal, demographic, occupational, lifestyle and reproductive history. Blood samples were collected within 36 hours of delivery. Serum concentrations of IL-6 and MDA were determined in mothers with full-term and preterm birth. Results: The mean age was marginally higher; whereas BMI was slightly lower in cases (PTB) as compared to controls (full-term) subjects. Serum IL-6 and MDA levels were significantly higher in subjects with PTB than full-term birth. The data were further analyzed with respect to underweight, normal and overweight/obese BMI. In all the BMI categories, the levels of IL-6 and MDA were higher in PTB cases. Among the PTB categories, the levels of IL-6 and MDA were highest in moderate to late preterm birth. A significant positive correlation was found between IL-6 and MDA levels. There was a weak negative correlation between either IL-6 or MDA and the number of gestational weeks. Conclusion : Elevated maternal serum levels of Interleukin-6 and Malondialdehyde in preterm as compared to full-term birth might suggest that inflammation and oxidative stress play a critical role in PTB.

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The Effects of Core Stabilization Exercise with the Abdominal Drawing-in Maneuver Technique versus General Strengthening Exercise on Lumbar Segmental Motion in Patients with Clinical Lumbar Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial with 12-Month Follow-Up

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157811 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7811

Author(s):

Rungthip Puntumetakul ◽

Pongsatorn Saiklang ◽

Weerasak Tapanya ◽

Thiwaphon Chatprem ◽

Jaturat Kanpittaya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Muscle Activity ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Segmental Motion ◽

Lumbar Instability ◽

Stabilization Exercise ◽

Core Stabilization ◽

Core Stabilization Exercise

Trunk stability exercises that focus on either deep or superficial muscles might produce different effects on lumbar segmental motion. This study compared outcomes in 34 lumbar instability patients in two exercises at 10 weeks and 12 months follow up. Participants were divided into either Core stabilization (deep) exercise, incorporating abdominal drawing-in maneuver technique (CSE with ADIM), or General strengthening (superficial) exercise (STE). Outcome measures were pain, muscle activation, and lumbar segmental motion. Participants in CSE with ADIM had significantly less pain than those in STE at 10 weeks. They showed significantly more improvement of abdominal muscle activity ratio than participants in STE at 10 weeks and 12 months follow-up. Participants in CSE with ADIM had significantly reduced sagittal translation at L4-L5 and L5-S1 compared with STE at 10 weeks. Participants in CSE with ADIM had significantly reduced sagittal translations at L4-L5 and L5-S1 compared with participants in STE at 10 weeks, whereas STE demonstrated significantly increased sagittal rotation at L4-L5. However, at 12 months follow-up, levels of lumbar sagittal translation were increased in both groups. CSE with ADIM which focuses on increasing deep trunk muscle activity can reduce lumbar segmental translation and should be recommended for lumbar instability.

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Differential timing of respiratory muscles in response to chemical stimuli in awake dogs

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1989.66.1.392 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 392-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

C. A. Smith ◽

D. M. Ainsworth ◽

K. S. Henderson ◽

J. A. Dempsey

Keyword(s):

Muscle Activation ◽

Respiratory Muscles ◽

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Transversus Abdominis ◽

Inspiratory Time ◽

Expiratory Muscle ◽

Inspiratory Activity ◽

Chemical Stimuli ◽

Crural Diaphragm ◽

Differential Timing

We assessed changes in respiratory muscle timing in response to hyperpnea and shortened inspiratory and expiratory times caused by chemoreceptor stimuli in six awake dogs. Durations of postinspiratory inspiratory activity of costal and crural diaphragm (PIIA), the delay in diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) after the initiation of inspiratory airflow, postexpiratory expiratory activity of the transversus abdominis (PEEA), and the delay of abdominal expiratory muscle activity after the initiation of expiratory airflow were measured. In control, four out of six dogs showed PIIA [8–10% of expiratory time (TE)]; all showed delay of diaphragm [19% of inspiratory time (TI)], delay of abdominal muscle activation (21% of TE), and PEEA (24% of TI). Hypercapnia decreased PIIA (4–9% of TE), maintained diaphragm delay at near control values (23% of TI), increased PEEA (36% of TI), eliminated delay of abdominal muscle activation (4% of TE), and decreased end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). Hypocapnic hypoxia increased PIIA (24–25% of TE), eliminated diaphragm delay (3% of TI), eliminated PEEA (3% of TI), reduced delay of abdominal muscle activation (14% of TE), and increased EELV. Most of these effects of hypoxic hypocapnia vs. hypercapnia on the within-breath EMG timing parameters corresponded to differences in the magnitude of expiratory muscle activation. These changes exerted significant influences on flow rates and EELV.

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