Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The incidence of hypertension in pregnancy continues to increase. Currently, we are unable to determine which patient will develop superimposed preeclampsia or identify subsets of preeclampsia syndrome. Opportunities for research in this area exist to better define treatment aimed at improving maternal outcomes.

SUMMARYPurpose: Current treatments for epilepsy may control seizures, but have no known effects on the underlying disease. We sought to determine whether early treatment in a model of genetic epilepsy would reduce the severity of the epilepsy phenotype in adulthood. Methods: We used Wistar albino Glaxo rats of Rijswijk (WAG/Rij) rats, an established model of human absence epilepsy. Oral ethosuximide was given from age p21 to 5 months, covering the usual period in which seizures develop in this model (age ∼3 months). Two experiments were performed: (1) cortical expression of ion channels Nav1.1, Nav1.6, and HCN1 (previously shown to be dysregulated in WAG/Rij) measured by immunocytochemistry in adult treated rats; and (2) electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings to measure seizure severity at serial time points after stopping the treatment.Results: Early treatment with ethosuximide blocked changes in the expression of ion channels Nav1.1, Nav1.6, and HCN1 normally associated with epilepsy in this model. In addition, the treatment led to a persistent suppression of seizures, even after therapy was discontinued. Thus, animals treated with ethosuximide from age p21 to 5 months still had a marked suppression of seizures at age 8 months. Discussion: These findings suggest that early treatment during development may provide a new strategy for preventing epilepsy in susceptible individuals. If confirmed with other drugs and epilepsy paradigms, the availability of a model in which epileptogenesis can be controlled has important implications both for future basic studies, and human therapeutic trials.

Purpose Central nervous system plasticity is essential for normal function, but can also reinforce abnormal network behavior, leading to epilepsy and other disorders. The role of altered ion channel expression in abnormal plasticity has not been thoroughly investigated. Nav1.6 is the most abundantly expressed sodium channel in the nervous system. Because of its distribution in the cell body and axon initial segment, Nav1.6 is crucial for action potential generation. The goal of the present study was to investigate the possible role of changes in Nav1.6 expression in abnormal, activity-dependent plasticity of hippocampal circuits. Methods We studied kindling, a form of abnormal activity-dependent facilitation. We investigated: 1. sodium channel protein expression by immunocytochemistry and sodium channel mRNA by in situ hybridization, 2. sodium current by patch clamp recordings, and 3. rate of kindling by analysis of seizure behavior. The initiation, development, and expression of kindling in wild type mice were compared to Nav1.6 +/− medtg mice, which have reduced expression of Nav1.6. Results We found that kindling was associated with increased expression of Nav1.6 protein and mRNA, which occurred selectively in hippocampal CA3 neurons. Hippocampal CA3 neurons also showed increased persistent sodium current in kindled animals compared to sham-kindled controls. Conversely, Nav1.6 +/− medtg mice resisted the initiation and development of kindling. Discussion These findings suggest an important mechanism for enhanced excitability, in which Nav1.6 may participate in a self-reinforcing cycle of activity-dependent facilitation in the hippocampus. This mechanism could contribute to both normal hippocampal function, and to epilepsy and other common nervous system disorders.

Objective This study investigates the cost-effectiveness of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening using the new IADPSG guidelines. Study Design A decision analytic model was built comparing routine screening with the 2h OGTT vs. the 1-hour GCT. All probabilities, costs, and benefits were derived from the literature. Base-case, sensitivity analyses, and a Monte Carlo simulation were performed. Results Screening with the 2h GTT was more expensive, more effective, and cost-effective at $61,503/QALY. In a one-way sensitivity analysis, the more inclusive IADPSG diagnostic approach remained cost-effective as long an additional 2.0% or more of patients were diagnosed and treated for GDM. Conclusion Screening at 24-28 weeks GA under the new IADPSG guidelines with the 2h GTT is expensive but cost-effective in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. How the health care system will provide expanded care to this group of women will need to be examined.