Endometriosis is a common systemic chronic inflammatory disease. Inflammation is the key mechanism responsible for the development of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) among Asian women with endometriosis. This retrospective population-based cohort study included patients with endometriosis diagnosed from 2000 to 2012 and registered in the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, Taiwan. The comparison cohort (those without endometriosis) were selected (1:4) by matching the age frequency and the index year. We followed up the patients until the diagnosis of CAD (ICD-9-CM codes: 410–414, A270, and A279), withdrawal from the National Health Insurance system, death, or the end of the study. We used a multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model for evaluating the risk of CAD. We included 19,454 patients with endometriosis and 77,816 women as a comparison group. The mean age of the women at the diagnosis of endometriosis was 37.4 years. A total of 3245 women developed CAD in both groups during a median follow-up of 7 years. The incidence of CAD was higher in women with endometriosis than in those without (5.96 vs. 4.38 per 10,000 person-years; adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.34 [1.22–1.47]). In conclusion, Asian women with endometriosis had a significantly higher risk of CAD. Further large-scale studies are needed to elucidate the cause-effect relationship between endometriosis and CAD.

This study aimed to determine whether transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical length before labor induction can predict successful induction. This retrospective study recruited 138 pregnant women who underwent labor induction at 37–41 weeks of gestation. Cervical length was measured using transvaginal ultrasonography before labor induction. Labor was induced according to the hospital protocol. Age, gestational age (GA), parity, body mass index (BMI), Bishop score, hemoglobin level, maternal disease, and epidural anesthesia were also recorded. Labor induction outcomes, including cesarean section for failed induction, time of induction, and the three labor stages, were assessed. From December 2018 to December 2021, 138 women were recruited for our study, including 120 and 18 women with successful and failed labor induction, respectively. Shorter cervical length (≤3.415 cm, OR = 6.22, 95% CI = 1.75–22.15) and multiparity (OR = 17.69, 95% CI = 2.94–106.51) were associated with successful induction. Higher BMI was associated with failed induction (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.75–0.99). Age, GA, Bishop score, and fetal birth weight were not associated with successful labor induction. The ROC curve showed a cervical length cutoff value of 3.415 cm, revealing 76.8% of the area under the curve. In conclusion, a shorter cervical length (≤3.415 cm) was associated with a higher chance of successful labor induction (76.8%). This parameter might be used to predict the chance of successful labor induction. This information could help better inform clinician discussions with pregnant women concerning the chance of successful labor induction and consequent decision-making. Nevertheless, further large-scale clinical trials are warranted.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is known to be a progressive degenerative disorder; however, recent evidence suggests that inflammatory mediators contribute to cartilage degradation. Studies have reported that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) had a promising effect on the reduction of the synthesis of proinflammatory and structural mediators by synovial cells. Given the lack of relevant clinical trials, we conducted this study to determine the relationship between NAC use and risk of knee OA. Methods: We designed a retrospective cohort study from 2000 to 2013. Patients who received oral NAC over 28 days within 1 year after the first prescription were defined as the case group, whereas those without NAC use were considered as candidates of the control group. We adopted 1:4 propensity-score matching by age, sex, index year, and comorbidities to obtain the control group. The primary outcome was a new diagnosis of knee OA during the follow-up period. Results: Our study sample comprised 12,928 people who used NAC and 51,715 NAC nonusers. NAC users had a significantly higher incidence of osteoarthritis (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.42, P < .001) than did NAC nonusers. Also, in analyses stratified by age group and sex, all subgroups exhibited a significantly higher incidence of knee osteoarthritis (P < .0001) among NAC users than among NAC nonusers. The use of oral NAC was associated with nearly four-fold increased the risk of knee OA in the young age group. Conclusions: Long-term use of oral NAC is associated with a higher risk of knee OA.

Opportunistic salpingectomies (OSs) are concurrently performed with hysterectomies to prevent epithelial ovarian cancer. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between OS and early menopause in females who have undergone hysterectomies. This was a retrospective cohort study involving 79 females who had undergone a hysterectomy, with or without an OS, between January 2007 and December 2015. Their ages at surgery, at menopause, and the lengths of time from surgery to menopause were compared. An OS had been performed in 54 and not performed in 25 of the enrolled patients, comprising the OS and non-OS groups. Body mass index was significantly higher in the OS group (OS: 25.27 ± 4.17 vs. non-OS: 22.97 ± 3.27, p = 0.01). Additionally, menopausal sleep problems were more prevalent in the OS group than in the non-OS group (41% vs. 12%, p = 0.01). Notably, the time from surgery to menopause was significantly shorter in the OS group than in the non-OS group (OS: 1.84 ± 1.85 vs. non-OS: 2.93 ± 2.43, p = 0.031). After adjusting the covariates, the OS group was associated with a significantly shorter period between surgery and menopause (p = 0.029). In conclusion, these results showed that a hysterectomy plus an OS might cause earlier menopause than a hysterectomy only. An OS should be preoperatively discussed with patients regarding the possibility of early menopause. The findings of this study require further large-scale investigations to reinforce the results.

Rationale: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare and sometimes fatal systolic heart failure that affects women during late pregnancy or the early postpartum period. Heart failure symptoms can mimic the physiological changes of normal pregnancy, and the diagnosis is based on echocardiography. Patient concerns: A 38-year-old multiparous woman with a history of cervical incompetence underwent cervical cerclage and received tocolysis for 100 days. Diagnoses: She delivered vaginally at 37 weeks of gestation but developed postpartum decompensated acute heart failure with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF: 34%) and was diagnosed with PPCM. Interventions: She received standard therapy for acute heart failure. Outcomes: The patient's pulmonary edema cleared, and she was fully ambulatory 6 days after admission. A follow-up echocardiogram 3 months later demonstrated recovery of LVEF to 66%. Lessons: Prolonged tocolysis may contribute to cardiomyopathy and should be used with caution. PPCM management requires standard treatments for acute heart failure with modifications for fetal safety.