Aims: To investigate the risk factors of intra-amniotic infection (IAI) related to induction with single-balloon catheter (SBC). Methods: A retrospective, case-control study including 58 cases of IAI patients who underwent induction with SBC was conducted in Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University. For each case, 8 women who delivered during the same month and had no infection after SBC induction were selected for control. Results: Compared with the control group, the IAI group had a higher rate of nulliparity (87.93 vs. 70.69%; p = 0.006), BMI > 30 kg/m² (29.31 vs. 15.95%; p = 0.011), and amniotic fluid index (AFI) < 8 cm (32.8 vs. 15.1%; p = 0.001). The diameter of cervical dilatation when membranes ruptured in IAI group was smaller than that in the control group (2.0 [1.5] vs. 3.0 [8.0] cm; p < 0.001). Time from start of induction to vaginal delivery was longer than that in the control group (47.0 [19.75] vs. 27.0 [16.0] h; p < 0.001). After logistic regression, the 5 factors associated with IAI for those who underwent SBC induction were nulliparity, BMI > 30 kg/m², AFI < 8 cm, diameter of cervical dilatation < 3 cm when membranes ruptured and time from start of induction to vaginal delivery of more than 48 h. Conclusions: Focus on these risk factors could result in earlier prophylaxis so that the incidence of IAI could be reduced.

Tabes dorsalis (TD) was documented as the most common parenchymal neurosyphilis, but its incidence dramatically declined in the antibiotic era. Syphilis has resurged on the China mainland since the 1980s. In recent years, physicians have been reporting parenchymal neurosyphilis, and the overwhelming majority was general paresis, but this was not the case in the authors' hospital. To make clear the real situation of parenchymal neurosyphilis in the authors' hospital, a retrospective review was carried out of the records of patients during 2009-2012. Overrepresented clinical new cases of tabetic and paretic parenchymal neurosyphilis were collected. Clinical characteristics, neuroimaging, laboratory data, and responses to penicillin were analyzed in two groups. The efficiency of two current criteria based on CSF antibodies tests was inspected. In the 43 cases with positive serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and TPPA tests, 18 patients met the criteria of this study: 11 presented with symptoms of general paresis, and seven had typical presentations of TD. There were statistical differences in serum RPR titers, CSF RPR, white blood cell count, and TP between the paretic and tabetic groups. The response to penicillin was relatively poor in TD. The efficiency of two current criteria was lower in the diagnosis of TD. TD was not uncommon in our area. Its clinical features remained typical, but underdiagnosis with CSF-based criteria and a decreased response to penicillin were prominent issues.