scholarly journals Cryptococcosis in pregnancy and the postpartum period: Case series and systematic review with recommendations for management

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-292
Author(s):  
Katelyn A Pastick ◽  
Elizabeth Nalintya ◽  
Lillian Tugume ◽  
Kenneth Ssebambulidde ◽  
Nicole Stephens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Cryptococcal Meningitis ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Secondary Prophylaxis ◽  
Fetal Survival

Abstract Cryptococcal meningitis causes 15% of AIDS-related deaths. Optimal management and clinical outcomes of pregnant women with cryptococcosis are limited to case reports, as pregnant women are often excluded from research. Amongst pregnant women with asymptomatic cryptococcosis, no treatment guidelines exist. We prospectively identified HIV-infected women who were pregnant or recently pregnant with cryptococcosis, screened during a series of meningitis research studies in Uganda from 2012 to 2018. Among 571 women screened for cryptococcosis, 13 were pregnant, one was breastfeeding, three were within 14 days postpartum, and two had recently miscarried. Of these 19 women (3.3%), 12 had cryptococcal meningitis, six had cryptococcal antigenemia, and one had a history of cryptococcal meningitis and was receiving secondary prophylaxis. All women with meningitis received amphotericin B deoxycholate (0.7–1.0 mg/kg). Five were exposed to 200–800 mg fluconazole during pregnancy. Of these five, three delivered healthy babies with no gross physical abnormalities at birth, one succumbed to meningitis, and one outcome was unknown. Maternal meningitis survival rate at hospital discharge was 75% (9/12), and neonatal/fetal survival rate was 44% (4/9) for those mothers who survived. Miscarriages and stillbirths were common (n = 4). Of six women with cryptococcal antigenemia, two received fluconazole, one received weekly amphotericin B, and three had unknown treatment courses. All women with antigenemia survived, and none developed clinical meningitis. We report good maternal outcomes but poor fetal outcomes for cryptococcal meningitis using amphotericin B, without fluconazole in the first trimester, and weekly amphotericin B in place of fluconazole for cryptococcal antigenemia.

scholarly journals Cryptococcal meningitis in HIV negative pregnant women: case report and review of literature

2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 289-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Laura Botelho Costa ◽  
João Paulo Dias de Souza ◽  
Antônio Francisco de Oliveira Neto ◽  
João Luiz Pinto e Silva
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Mental Status ◽  
Cryptococcal Meningitis ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Altered Mental Status

INTRODUCTION: Cryptococcosis has become an important entity due to the epidemic of AIDS and therefore it is a significant opportunistic infection. However, there are case reports of cryptococcal meningitis in immune competent pregnant women. Since pregnancy is considered a period of relative immunosuppression, which likely prevents fetal rejection, this could explain the occurrence of opportunistic infections. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of cryptococcosis, and review all cases involving pregnancy and neurocryptococcal infection in immune competent pregnant patients. METHODS: Case report and systematic review of the literature using the MEDLINE and SciELO databases. DISCUSSION: A total of 27 patients were analyzed from 19 studies. The mean age at diagnosis was 26.4 years. There were six patients in their first trimester of pregnancy, 10 in the second, eight in the third and three post-partum. The most prevalent symptoms were headache (85.2%), altered vision (44.4%), altered mental status (44.4%), nausea (40.7%) and fever (33.3%). There were nine deaths (33.3%). Most of the patients received intravenous amphotericin B as treatment (77.8%). The majority (66.6%) of the patients accomplished a term delivery with healthy infants. CONCLUSION: Cryptococcal meningitis should be considered during pregnancy in cases of unexplained headache, altered vision, altered mental status, nausea and fever. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis should be admitted and treated with amphotericin B.

scholarly journals Visceral Leishmaniasis in pregnancy and vertical transmission: A systematic literature review on the therapeutic orphans

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. e0009650
Author(s):  
Prabin Dahal ◽  
Sauman Singh-Phulgenda ◽  
Brittany J. Maguire ◽  
Eli Harriss ◽  
Koert Ritmeijer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Liposomal Amphotericin ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Liposomal Amphotericin B ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
In Pregnancy

Background Reports on the occurrence and outcome of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in pregnant women is rare in published literature. The occurrence of VL in pregnancy is not systematically captured and cases are rarely followed-up to detect consequences of infection and treatment on the mother and foetus. Methods A review of all published literature was undertaken to identify cases of VL infections among pregnant women by searching the following database: Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid Embase; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; World Health Organization Global Index Medicus: LILACS (Americas); IMSEAR (South-East Asia); IMEMR (Eastern Mediterranean); WPRIM (Western Pacific); ClinicalTrials.gov; and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Selection criteria included any clinical reports describing the disease in pregnancy or vertical transmission of the disease in humans. Articles meeting pre-specified inclusion criteria and non-primary research articles such as textbook, chapters, letters, retrospective case description, or reports of accidental inclusion in trials were also considered. Results The systematic literature search identified 272 unique articles of which 54 records were included in this review; a further 18 records were identified from additional search of the references of the included studies or from personal communication leading to a total of 72 records (71 case reports/case series; 1 retrospective cohort study; 1926–2020) describing 451 cases of VL in pregnant women. The disease was detected during pregnancy in 398 (88.2%), retrospectively confirmed after giving birth in 52 (11.5%), and the time of identification was not clear in 1 (0.2%). Of the 398 mothers whose infection was identified during pregnancy, 346 (86.9%) received a treatment, 3 (0.8%) were untreated, and the treatment status was not clear in the remaining 49 (12.3%). Of 346 mothers, Liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) was administered in 202 (58.4%) and pentavalent antimony (PA) in 93 (26.9%). Outcomes were reported in 176 mothers treated with L-AmB with 4 (2.3%) reports of maternal deaths, 5 (2.8%) miscarriages, and 2 (1.1%) foetal death/stillbirth. For PA, outcomes were reported in 88 mothers of whom 4 (4.5%) died, 24 (27.3%) had spontaneous abortion, 2 (2.3%) had miscarriages. A total of 26 cases of confirmed, probable or suspected cases of vertical transmission were identified with a median detection time of 6 months (range: 0–18 months). Conclusions Outcomes of VL treatment during pregnancy is rarely reported and under-researched. The reported articles were mainly case reports and case series and the reported information was often incomplete. From the studies identified, it is difficult to derive a generalisable information on outcomes for mothers and babies, although reported data favours the usage of liposomal amphotericin B for the treatment of VL in pregnant women.

scholarly journals Neuroendocrine Testicular Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mseddi M. Amine ◽  
Bouzguenda Mohamed ◽  
Hadjslimane Mourad ◽  
Hamza Majed ◽  
Charfi Slim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Neuroendocrine Tumors ◽  
Carcinoid Syndrome ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Palpable Mass ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Evolutionary Features ◽  
Radical Orchiectomy

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to study the main epidemiological, clinical, para clinical, pathological, therapeutic, and evolutionary features of patients with testicular neuroendocrine tumors (TNET). Materials and Methods: Nine case series and sixteen case reports were identified by searching PubMed database and qualified for inclusion in this study. We added the data of one case treated in the department of urology in Habib Bourguiba Hospital in Sfax, to the published cases. Results: A total of 132 cases were collected. Median age at diagnosis was 39 years old (range 10- 83 years). The most common presenting symptom was either a testicular mass or a swelling in 38.46% of cases. Carcinoid syndrome was documented in 10.60% of patients. The clinical examination revealed a palpable mass in 44.70% of patients. This mass was painless and firm in most cases. Serum tumor markers (β-gonadotrophine chorionique humaine, α-feto protein, and lactate dehydrogenase) were within normal limits in all patients except in one case. Most testicular neuroendocrine tumors (76.52%) were primary and pure. The tumors were positive for chromogranin (100%), synaptophysin (100%) and cytokeratin (93.10%). Metastases were detected at time of diagnosis in eight cases (6.06%). The main treatment was radical orchiectomy performed in 127 patients (96.21%). The 5-year overall survival rate was 78.70% and the 5-year specific survival rate was 84.30%. Conclusion: The diagnosis of testicular carcinoids is based on the immunohistochemistry study. The treatment of choice for these tumors is radical orchiectomy. Somatostatin analogues were reported to be effective in patients with carcinoid syndrome.

scholarly journals Systematic review to investigate the safety of induction and augmentation of labour among pregnant women with iron-deficiency anaemia

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e021793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Bunch ◽  
Nia Roberts ◽  
Marian Knight ◽  
Manisha Nair
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Iron Deficiency ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Iron Deficiency Anaemia ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Severe Anaemia ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Deficiency Anaemia ◽  
Increased Risk

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review to investigate the safety of induction and/or augmentation of labour compared with spontaneous-onset normal labour among pregnant women with iron-deficiency anaemia.DesignSystematic review.SettingStudies from all countries, worldwide.PopulationPregnant women with iron-deficiency anaemia at labour and delivery.InterventionAny intervention related to induction and/or augmentation of labour.Outcome measuresPrimary: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), heart failure and maternal death. Secondary: Emergency caesarean section, hysterectomy, admission to intensive care unit.MethodWe searched 10 databases, including Medline and Embase, from database inception to 1 October 2018. We included all study designs except cross-sectional studies without a comparator group, case reports, case series, ecological studies, and expert opinion. The searches were conducted by a healthcare librarian and two authors independently screened and reviewed the studies. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approachto ascertain risk of bias and conducted a narrative synthesis.ResultsWe identified 3217 journal articles, 223 conference papers, 45 dissertations and 218 registered trials. Ten articles were included for full-text review and only one was found to fulfil the eligibility criteria. This was a retrospective cohort study from India, which showed that pregnant women with moderate and severe anaemia could have an increased risk of PPH if they underwent induction and/or augmentation of labour, but the evidence was weak (graded as ‘high risk of bias’).ConclusionThe best approach is to prevent anaemia, but a large number of women in low-to-middle-income countries present with severe anaemia during labour. In such women, appropriate peripartum management could prevent complications and death. Our review showed that at present we do not know if induction and augmentation of labour is safe in pregnant women with iron-deficiency anaemia and further research is required.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42015032421.

scholarly journals A randomized open label trial of tamoxifen combined with amphotericin B and fluconazole for cryptococcal meningitis.

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thuy Ngan ◽  
Nguyen Thi Hoang Mai ◽  
Nguyen Le Nhu Tung ◽  
Nguyen Phu Huong Lan ◽  
Luong Thi Hue Tai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Cryptococcal Meningitis ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Safety Data ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Receptor Modulator ◽  
Open Label Trial ◽  
Early Fungicidal Activity

Background: Cryptococcal meningitis is a leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients. International treatment guidelines recommend induction therapy with amphotericin B and flucytosine. This antifungal combination is most effective, but unfortunately flucytosine is expensive and unavailable where the burden of disease is greatest. Where unavailable, guidelines recommend treatment with amphotericin and fluconazole, but this is less effective, with mortality rates of 40-50%. Faster rates of clearance of yeast from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are associated with better outcomes - improving the potency of antifungal therapy is likely to be an effective strategy to improve survival. Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to treat breast cancer, has anti-cryptococcal activity, appearing synergistic when combined in vitro with amphotericin, and fungicidal when combined with fluconazole. It is concentrated in the brain and macrophages, off-patent, cheap and widely available. We designed a randomized trial to deliver initial efficacy and safety data for tamoxifen combined with amphotericin and fluconazole. Method: A phase II, open-label, randomized (1:1) controlled trial of tamoxifen (300mg/day) combined with amphotericin (1mg/kg/day) and fluconazole (800mg/day) for the first 2 weeks therapy for HIV infected or uninfected adults with cryptococcal meningitis. The study recruits at Cho Ray Hospital and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The primary end point is Early Fungicidal Activity (EFA-the rate of yeast clearance from CSF), over the first two weeks of treatment. 50 patients will be recruited providing ≈80% and 90% power to detect a difference in the EFA of -0.11 or -0.13 log10CFU/ml/day, respectively. Discussion: The results of the study will inform the decision to proceed to a larger trial powered to mortality. The size of effect detectable has previously been associated with reduced mortality from this devastating disease. Particular side effects of interest include QT prolongation. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03112031 (11/04/2017)

scholarly journals Safety of Antimicrobials During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Antimicrobials Considered for Treatment and Postexposure Prophylaxis of Plague

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S37-S50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A Yu ◽  
Emmy L Tran ◽  
Corinne M Parker ◽  
Hye-Joo Kim ◽  
Eileen L Yee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spontaneous Abortion ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Neonatal Outcomes ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Postexposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Adverse Pregnancy

Abstract Background The safety profile of antimicrobials used during pregnancy is one important consideration in the decision on how to treat and provide postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) for plague during pregnancy. Methods We searched 5 scientific literature databases for primary sources on the safety of 9 antimicrobials considered for plague during pregnancy (amikacin, gentamicin, plazomicin, streptomycin, tobramycin, chloramphenicol, doxycycline, sulfadiazine, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [TMP-SMX]) and abstracted data on maternal, pregnancy, and fetal/neonatal outcomes. Results Of 13 052 articles identified, 66 studies (case-control, case series, cohort, and randomized studies) and 96 case reports were included, totaling 27 751 prenatal exposures to amikacin (n = 9), gentamicin (n = 345), plazomicin (n = 0), streptomycin (n = 285), tobramycin (n = 43), chloramphenicol (n = 246), doxycycline (n = 2351), sulfadiazine (n = 870), and TMP-SMX (n = 23 602). Hearing or vestibular deficits were reported in 18/121 (15%) children and 17/109 (16%) pregnant women following prenatal streptomycin exposure. First trimester chloramphenicol exposure was associated with an elevated risk of an undescended testis (odds ratio [OR] 5.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–28.7). Doxycycline was associated with cardiovascular malformations (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–4.7) in 1 study and spontaneous abortion (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.9–4.1) in a separate study. First trimester exposure to TMP-SMX was associated with increased risk of neural tube defects (pooled OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4–4.3), spontaneous abortion (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.3–5.6), preterm birth (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1), and small for gestational age (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.2). No other statistically significant associations were reported. Conclusions For most antimicrobials reviewed, adverse maternal/fetal/neonatal outcomes were not observed consistently. Prenatal exposure to streptomycin and TMP-SMX was associated with select birth defects in some studies. Based on limited data, chloramphenicol and doxycycline may be associated with adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcomes; however, more data are needed to confirm these associations. Antimicrobials should be used for treatment and PEP of plague during pregnancy; the choice of antimicrobials may be influenced by these data as well as information about the risks of plague during pregnancy.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Memantine: Best Practices

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (S16) ◽  
pp. 34-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachelle S. Doody
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Number Of Patients

Today’s therapies must be put in the context of both currently available treatments as well as treatment trials with exciting potential for use in the near future. Current clinical trial methodologies do not allow for clear separation of symptomatic treatments from disease-modifying therapies; it may be unproductive to maintain this distinction given the current range of treatments available. A more currently relevant focus is added value. Therapies should aim to provide added value through incremental benefits above and beyond existing treatments, as well as enduring benefits.Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment guidelines are not used by physicians only. Healthcare payers often make use of these guidelines to delimit coverage. Cost concerns will also impact AD treatments after generic cholinesterase inhibitors are made available; it is widely believed that a great number of patients will switch to generics. Therefore, treatment guidelines must account for the possible adverse effects of switching therapies as well as the desirability of persistent treatment. There are many AD treatment guidelines, among them the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Management of Dementia Guidelines, which are currently being revised. The Institute for the Study on Aging (ISOA) Management of Alzheimer’s Disease in Managed Care Guideline also presents a different approach for a different audience.The first step to creating evidence-based best practices guidelines is to determine what is meant by “evidence.” A system of classification exists for examining forms of evidence: Class I evidence is provided by one or more well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials, including overviews or meta-analyses of such trials. Class II evidence is provided by well-designed observational studies with concurrent controls; for example, case-control studies that generate hypotheses about epidemiologic associations. Class III evidence is provided by expert opinion, case series, case reports, and studies with historical controls.

scholarly journals Retrospective Case Reports of Anemic Pregnant Women Receiving Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose: Experience from a Tertiary Hospital in Spain

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Aporta Rodriguez ◽  
Mariola García Montero ◽  
Jose Pablo Lorente Aporta ◽  
Carolina Gallego Luque ◽  
Alfonso Chacón Mayor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Deficiency ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Deficiency Anemia ◽  
Ferric Carboxymaltose ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Apgar Scores

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy call for safe treatment options that raise maternal hemoglobin levels and counterbalance iron demand and blood volume expansion while minimizing risks for the growing fetus. This retrospective study describes experience with intravenous ferric carboxymaltose given to pregnant women in a tertiary hospital in Spain. In a 5-year period, 95 pregnant women who had pretreatment hemoglobin <10 g/dL and at least one time of ferric carboxymaltose administration during pregnancy were included. Main outcome measures were week of pregnancy at iron administration, Hb levels before and after treatment, neonatal 5-minute Apgar scores, and birth weight. The majority received one dose of ferric carboxymaltose (1000 mg iron) during advanced pregnancy (median 31 weeks; interquartile range [IQR]: 27; 37 weeks) with minor to no adverse outcomes. Overall, median Hb increased from 8.5 g/dL (8.1; 8.9 g/dL) before treatment to 11.0 g/dL (9.9; 11.7 g/dL) after treatment. Normal Apgar scores were observed in all 97 infants (median birth weights 3560 g, 3270, and 3798 g). Four women received ferric carboxymaltose in the first trimester and twenty-eight during the second trimester without adverse outcomes for mother or child. These cases add to the evidence that ferric carboxymaltose administration during pregnancy is effective and safe.

scholarly journals MON-196 A Single-Center Experience of Patients with Metastatic Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma Treated with 177Lu-DOTATATE

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Roslyakova ◽  
Dmitry Beltsevich ◽  
Michail Plotkin ◽  
Pavel Rumyantsev ◽  
Daria Ladygina
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Survival Rate ◽  
Chromogranin A ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy ◽  
Optimal Strategies ◽  
Metastatic Progression

Abstract The prevalence of metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) is reported to be 3% to 36% of all the cases. The five-year overall survival rate of such patients ranges from 40 to 77%. The management of metastatic PPGL is challenging taking into account the fact that the optimal strategies for clinical care beyond surgical resection are not guided yet. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) using somatostatin analogues is effective in other neuroendocrine tumours, can be indicated in patients with positive scans for the respective radiopharmaceuticals. We report preliminary data of the prospective study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy outcomes of 177Lu-DOTATATE for 6 patients with histologically confirmed PPGLs with metastatic progression after the complete PPGL surgery. The mean age of our cohort was 53 years (range 14–73); an equal number of male and female patients was included. Two of them had germline mutations in RET and SDHB genes, respectively. Radiological response utilized RECIST 1.1 criteria; toxicity was graded according to common terminology criteria for adverse events version 4. PPRT scheme varied between three and four cycles. Partial response (PR) was achieved in one and stable disease (SD) in four 4 patients. One patient had treatment refractory with disease progression and dramatic increase of chromogranin A concentration (+268%). Biochemical response (&gt;50% decrease) of chromogranin A was found in 1/6 patients and of catecholamines in 2/6 patients. No hematological or kidney toxicity grade 3–4 was registered. Median overall survival and median progression-free survival rate will be reported after the end of the study. To date, about 250 PPGL patients have been treated with PRRT. PRRT using 177Lu-DOTA-SSAs has shown promise for treatment of PPGLs with improvement of clinical symptoms and/or disease control in the setting of retrospective small case reports or case series. However, more well-designed prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

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