Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection in pregnancy, increasing the risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Urinary tract infections may present as asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis or pyelonephritis. Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen associated with both symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria. If asymptomatic bacteriuria is untreated, up to 30% of mothers develop acute pyelonephritis, with an increased risk of multiple maternal and neonatal complications, such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight. Urinary tract infection is a common, but preventable cause of pregnancy complications, thus urinary tests, such as urine culture or new technologies such as high-throughput DNA sequence-based analyses, should be used in order to improve antenatal screening of pregnant women.

No abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the commonest endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, affecting 5-10% of them, and the leading cause of anovulatory infertility in developed countries [1,2]. The most frequent signs of PCOS are irregular menstruation, due to oligo-or anovulation, as well as signs of androgen excess, including hirsutism, oily skin, acne and androgenic alopecia [3].Patients with PCOS frequently have insulin resistance, pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and dyslipidemia [1,[3][4][5]. Obesity, particularly visceral obesity, is another important feature of the syndrome and 38-88% Abstract. Many patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have insulin resistance, obesity (mostly visceral) and glucose intolerance, conditions associated with abnormalities in the production of vaspin, a novel adipokine that appears to preserve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The aim of the study was to assess serum vaspin levels in PCOS and the effects on vaspin levels of metformin or of weight loss. We studied 79 patients with PCOS and 50 healthy female volunteers. Normal weight patients with PCOS (n=25) were treated with metformin 850 mg bid for 6 months. Overweight/obese patients with PCOS (n=54) were prescribed a normal-protein, energy-restricted diet for 6 months; half of them were also given orlistat 120 mg tid and the rest were given sibutramine 10 mg qd. At baseline and after 6 months, serum vaspin levels and anthropometric, metabolic and hormonal features of PCOS were determined. Overall, patients with PCOS had higher vaspin levels than controls (p=0.021). Normal weight patients with PCOS had higher vaspin levels than normal weight controls (p=0.043). Vaspin levels were non-significantly higher in overweight/obese patients with PCOS than in overweight/obese controls. In normal weight patients with PCOS, metformin reduced vaspin levels non-significantly. In overweight/obese patients with PCOS, diet plus orlistat or sibutramine did not affect vaspin levels. Vaspin levels were independently correlated with body mass index in women with PCOS (p=0.001) and with waist circumference in controls (p=0.015). In conclusion, serum vaspin levels are elevated in PCOS but neither a small weight loss nor metformin affect vaspin levels significantly.

No abstract

No abstract