International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jul 2013
Serum uric acid as a novel marker for uterine atony and post-spinal vasopressor use during cesarean delivery.
Serum uric acid is a marker for oxidative stress in preeclampsia. Because oxidative stress can result in diminished uterine contractility and impaired vascular relaxation, we hypothesized that an elevated serum uric acid level in women undergoing neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery would be associated with greater uterine atony, as measured by supplemental uterotonic agent use and blood loss, and less hypotension, as measured by total vasopressor use. ⋯ Elevated serum uric acid in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery with neuraxial anesthesia correlated with increased use of supplemental uterotonic agents and decreased use of post-spinal vasopressors. Further validation of this study is required to determine if serum uric acid in parturients can serve as a reliable predictor for higher and lower occurrences of uterine atony and spinal-induced hypotension, respectively.
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Quality of life assessments are increasingly recognised in healthcare. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric characteristics of Nottingham Health Profile in the postpartum period. ⋯ The scale was found to be suitable for evaluation of quality of life in a population of postpartum women. However a more culturally and geographically diverse population is needed to test reliability and validity of the instrument.