Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Localized, Non-Random Differences In Chromatin Accessibility Between Homologous Metaphase Chromosomes, Wahab A Khan, Peter K Rogan, Joan H.M. Knoll

Department of Medicine Publications

BACKGROUND: Condensation differences along the lengths of homologous, mitotic metaphase chromosomes are well known. This study reports molecular cytogenetic data showing quantifiable localized differences in condensation between homologs that are related to differences in accessibility (DA) of associated DNA probe targets. Reproducible DA was observed for ~10% of locus-specific, short (1.5-5 kb) single copy DNA probes used in fluorescence in situ hybridization.

RESULTS: Fourteen probes (from chromosomes 1, 5, 9, 11, 15, 17, 22) targeting genic and intergenic regions were developed and hybridized to cells from 10 individuals with cytogenetically-distinguishable homologs. Differences in hybridization between homologs were non-random for 8 …

Bmp4 And Lgl1 Are Down Regulated In An Ovine Model Of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Heather M A Emmerton-Coughlin, K Kathryn Martin, Jacky S S Chiu, Lin Zhao, Leslie A Scott, Timothy R H Regnault, Andreana Bütter

Surgery Publications

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The molecular pathophysiology of lung hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains poorly understood. The Wnt signaling pathway and downstream targets, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) 4 and other factors such as late gestation lung protein 1 (LGL1), are essential to normal lung development. Nitrofen-induced hypoplastic CDH rodent lungs demonstrate down regulation of the Wnt pathway including BMP4 and reduced LGL1 expression. The aim of the current study was to examine the molecular pathophysiology associated with a surgically induced CDH in an ovine model.

METHODS: Left thoracotomy was performed at 80 days in 14 fetal sheep; CDH was …

Antibiotic Prophylaxis And Reflux: Critical Review And Assessment, Bernarda Viteri Baquerizo, Craig A. Peters

Urology Faculty Publications

The use of continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) was critical in the evolution of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) from a condition in which surgery was the standard of treatment to its becoming a medically managed condition. The efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis in the management of VUR has been challenged in recent years, and significant confusion exists as to its clinical value. This review summarizes the critical factors in the history, use, and investigation of antibiotic prophylaxis in VUR. This review provides suggestions for assessing the potential clinical utility of prophylaxis.

Death Patterns During The 1918 Influenza Pandemic In Chile, Gerardo Chowell, Lone Simonsen, Jose Flores, Mark A. Miller, Cecile G. Viboud

Global Health Faculty Publications

Scarce information about the epidemiology of historical influenza pandemics in South America prevents complete understanding of pandemic patterns throughout the continent and across different climatic zones. To fill gaps with regard to spatiotemporal patterns of deaths associated with the 1918 influenza pandemic in Chile, we reviewed archival records. We found evidence that multiple pandemic waves at various times of the year and of varying intensities occurred during 1918-1921 and that influenza-related excess deaths peaked during July-August 1919. Pandemic-associated mortality rates were elevated for all age groups, including for adults >50 years of age; elevation from baseline was highest for young …

Coagulopathy In Newborns With Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (Hie) Treated With Therapeutic Hypothermia: A Retrospective Case-Control Study, Katie R. Forman, Yaser A. Diab, Edward C.C. Wong, Stephen Baumgart, Naomi L. Luban, An Nguyen Massaro

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background

Newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) are at risk for coagulopathy due to systemic oxygen deprivation. Additionally, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) slows enzymatic activity of the coagulation cascade, leading to constitutive prolongation of routinely assessed coagulation studies. The level of laboratory abnormality that predicts bleeding is unclear, leading to varying transfusion therapy practices.

Methods

HIE infants treated with TH between 2008–2012 were included in this retrospective study. Initial, minimum (min) and maximum (max) values of International Normalized Ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen (Fib) and platelet (PLT) count (measured twice daily during TH) were collected. Bleeding was defined …

The Impact Of Polio Eradication On Routine Immunization And Primary Health Care: A Mixed-Methods Study, Svea Closser, Kelly Cox, Thomas M. Parris, R Matthew Landis, Judith Justice, Ranjani Gopinath, Kenneth Maes, Hailom Banteyerga Amaha, Ismaila Zango Mohammed, Rashid Jooma

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: After 2 decades of focused efforts to eradicate polio, the impact of eradication activities on health systems continues to be controversial. This study evaluated the impact of polio eradication activities on routine immunization (RI) and primary healthcare (PHC).
Methods: Quantitative analysis assessed the effects of polio eradication campaigns on RI and maternal healthcare coverage. A systematic qualitative analysis in 7 countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa assessed impacts of polio eradication activities on key health system functions, using data from interviews, participant observation, and document review.
Results: Our quantitative analysis did not find compelling evidence of widespread and …

Calmodulin Enhances Ribbon Replenishment And Shapes Filtering Of Synaptic Transmission By Cone Photoreceptors., Matthew J. Van Hook, Caitlyn M. Parmelee, Minghui Chen, Karlene M. Cork, Carina Curto, Wallace B. Thoreson

Journal Articles: Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience

At the first synapse in the vertebrate visual pathway, light-evoked changes in photoreceptor membrane potential alter the rate of glutamate release onto second-order retinal neurons. This process depends on the synaptic ribbon, a specialized structure found at various sensory synapses, to provide a supply of primed vesicles for release. Calcium (Ca(2+)) accelerates the replenishment of vesicles at cone ribbon synapses, but the mechanisms underlying this acceleration and its functional implications for vision are unknown. We studied vesicle replenishment using paired whole-cell recordings of cones and postsynaptic neurons in tiger salamander retinas and found that it involves two kinetic mechanisms, the …

High School Athletes’ Perceptions Of Concussion, Theresa Miyashita, Eleni Diakogeorgiou, Brian Hellstrom, Nick Kuchwara, Erica Tafoya, Lori Young

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Background: The perception high school athletes have regarding concussions may influence their injury-reporting behavior, and if their perceptions are based on incorrect or incomplete information, they may be at risk for subsequent head injuries.

Purpose: To determine whether the recent influx of concussion information has had a positive impact on high school athletes’ knowledge of concussions, to determine their perceptions regarding the severity of a concussion injury, and to determine whether receiving correct information will potentially alter their future reporting behavior.

Robert Edward Gross (1905-1988): Ligation Of A Patent Ductus Arteriosus And The Birth Of A Specialty., Alexander V. Chalphin, Bs, Charles J. Yeo, Md, Scott W. Cowan, Md, Stacey Milan, Md

Department of Surgery Gibbon Society Historical Profiles

The early 20th century saw an explosion in surgical expertise. Specialties dedicated to delicate organs such as the heart and vulnerable populations, like children, were in their infancy. Dr. William E. Ladd, the father of pediatric surgery, founded the first dedicated department of pediatric surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1910. At the time, attempts at cardiac surgery almost universally ended in death of the patient. The first successful surgical treatment of the cardiac valves would not occur for another 15 years, and the great vessels would remain out of reach for decades more. Dr. Robert E. Gross, the shy …

Hormone Whodunit: Clues For Solving The Case Of Intratumor Androgen Production., Karen E Knudsen

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

One of the key mechanisms by which prostate cancer cells evade hormone therapy is through intratumor testosterone production. New evidence points toward androstenedione as a potential precursor of intratumor androgen production and furthers nomination of AKR1C3 as a therapeutic target in advanced disease. Clin Cancer Res; 20(21); 5343-5. ©2014 AACR.

Evidence-Informed Guidelines For Pediatric Pandemic Planning And Response, Ginny Sprang, James J. Clark, Miriam Silman, Phyllis W. Leigh, Candice M. Jackson, A. Scott Lajoie

Center on Trauma and Children Reports

From the executive summary:

Pandemic events are unpredictable and inevitable. When they occur, the impact is both all-encompassing and asymmetrical; each pandemic targets specific, vulnerable populations, but ultimately impacts individuals, families and communities throughout the world. Regardless of origin or circumstances, the next pandemic will certainly count infants, children, and adolescents among its most vulnerable targets. As evidenced by the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, children may be at higher risk than populations more typically seen as susceptible to pandemic illness (the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, etc.). Children also can function as disease vectors, spreading the virus through their …

Improving Community Health Through Hospital-Public Health Collaboration: Insights And Lessons Learned From Successful Partnerships, Lawrence Prybil, F. Douglas Scutchfield, Rex Killian, Ann Kelly, Glen P. Mays, Angela Carman, Samuel Levey, Anne Mcgeorge, David W. Fardo

Health Management and Policy Faculty Book Gallery

From the introduction:

Health care expenditures in the United States currently consume over 17 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, a much larger share than other developed nations. Yet, despite this large investment, studies by Commonwealth Fund, the Institute of Medicine, and other organizations show the USA lags behind other developed nations on multiple metrics of population health such as infant mortality and life expectancy. Moreover, there is extensive evidence of disparities in access, cost, and quality of health care services.

Thus, we are confronted by a striking paradox: the USA spends a large and growing proportion of our …

Body Mass Index Or Body Fat! Which Is A Better Obesity Scale For Pakistani Population?, Syeda Sadia Fatima, Rehana Rehman, Bushra Chaudhry

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Ojective: To compare two methods of classifying obesity based on body mass index and body fat percentage.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2012 to August 2013 at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Male and female volunteers between the ages 15-65 years were selected using simple random sampling. They were classified into different groups for body mass index and body fat percentage measured through bioelectrical impedance scale. The subjects were sub-grouped into underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. SPSS 11 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: The mean age of the 828 healthy volunteers was 25.67±10.10 years. A …

Poster: Protecting Against Data Exfiltration Insider Attacks Through Application Programs, Asmaa Mohamed Sallama, Elisa Bertino

Cyber Center Publications

In this paper, we describe a system that distinguishes be- tween legitimate and malicious database transactions per- formed by application programs. Our system is particularly useful for protecting against code-modification attacks performed by insiders who have access to and can change the programs' source code to make them execute different queries than those they are expected to execute. Our system works with any type of DBMS and requires minimum modification to application programs.

Aligning Counselor Training Clinics With The Dsm-5: Tips, Tools, And Challenges, Joel A. Lane, Lisa Aasheim

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation is intended to help counselor educators better understand the conceptual changes made in the DSM-5, as well as the implications of these changes for counseling training clinics.

Work Productivity Loss From Depression: Evidence From An Employer Survey, Kathryn Rost, Hongdao Meng, Stanley Xu

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

Background: National working groups identify the need for return on investment research conducted from the purchaser perspective; however, the field has not developed standardized methods for measuring the basic components of return on investment, including costing out the value of work productivity loss due to illness. Recent literature is divided on whether the most commonly used method underestimates or overestimates this loss. The goal of this manuscript is to characterize between and within variation in the cost of work productivity loss from illness estimated by the most commonly used method and its two refinements.

Methods: One senior health benefit specialist …

Tsu Faculty Publication Database, David Owerbach

Office of Research Institutional Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Development And Evaluation Of A Model For Secondary Evolution Educators’ Professional Development Needs, William L. Romine, Ellen Barnett, Patricia J. Friedrichsen, Aaron J. Sickel

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Professional development (PD) efforts have improved acceptance and pedagogical practice related to the theory of evolution in high school biology teachers. However, these teachers express need for more PD related to evolution. It therefore becomes necessary to understand teachers’ PD needs prior to structuring PD efforts.

Methods

We formulated and validated a model to explain secondary teachers’ PD needs using data from a survey of 276 secondary biology teachers who reported teaching evolution.

Results

In addition to reliable subscales, we found that obstacles to teaching evolution, school and community support for evolution instruction, confidence in evolution instruction, and prior …

Neonatal Magnesium Levels Correlate With Motor Outcomes In Premature Infants: A Long-Term Retrospective Cohort Study, Elizabeth Doll, Jacob Wilkes, Lawrence J. Cook, E. Kent Korgenski, Roger G. Faix, Bradley A. Yoder, Rajendu Srivastava, Catherine M.T. Sherwin, Michael G. Spigarelli, Erin A.S. Clark, Joshua L. Bonkowsky

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE:

Chronic neurological deficits are a significant complication of preterm birth. Magnesium supplementation has been suggested to have neuroprotective function in the developing brain. Our objective was to determine whether higher neonatal serum magnesium levels were associated with better long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in very-low birth weight infants.

STUDY DESIGN:

A retrospective cohort of 75 preterm infants (<1500 g, gestational age <27 weeks) had follow-up for the outcomes of abnormal motor exam and for epilepsy. Average total serum magnesium level in the neonate during the period of prematurity was the main independent variable assessed, tested using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

RESULTS:

Higher average serum magnesium level was associated with a statistically significant decreased risk for abnormal motor exam (p = 0.037). A lower risk for epilepsy in the group with higher magnesium level did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION:

This …

Technology Use In Patient Education: A Review Of The Literature, Jaime Mccabe, Kate Weinberg

Nursing Student Work

No abstract provided.

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Rare Disorder Presenting With Focal Convulsions, Shakeel Ahmed, Syed Rehan Ali, Naila Nadeem, Muhammad Hamid

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (VEDS), previously called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type-IV, is a heterogeneous group of heritable connective tissue disorders characterized by thin, translucent skin, easy bruising, arterial, intestinal, and/or uterine fragility. There is large vessel involvement that leads to arterial rupture often preceded by aneurysm, arteriovenous fistulae, or dissection. Noninvasive imaging studies such as CT angiography and MR angiography are preferred as diagnostic studies for this condition. We are reporting a 4 years old girl who was presented with right sided unilateral convulsions and hypertension. CT angiogram showed stenosis with post-stenotic dilatation of coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries. There were extensive …

Community Conversation Guide: How Can Our Community Support The Breastfeeding Experience In Brookings Businesses, Becky Kuehl, Jenn Anderson, Sara A. Mehltretter Drury, Charlotte Bachman, Marilyn Hildreth, Jamison Lamp, Mary Schwaegerl, Lois Tschetter, Julia Yoder

Communication Studies Publications

This forum is an opportunity for our community to come together and consider breastfeeding and support for our mothers and children with fresh eyes, fresh ideas, and a fresh conversation. Our conversation today will consider different approaches for increasing breastfeeding support in local businesses.
This guide introduces the issue, explains concerns with the breastfeeding experience in Brookings businesses, and presents three approaches to improving support. These approaches are not the only possible responses to the issue. Instead, they represent different ways that our community can take action based on our priorities.

Neural Stem Cells As A Model To Study Huntington’S Disease, Rawan Bakhsh

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a heritable neurodegenerative disorder that affects muscle coordination and diminishes cognitive abilities, by affecting the medium spiny neurons in the brain. In HD patients, neurons are damaged and destroyed because of the toxicity of the mutant Huntington protein (mHtt). The mechanism of how mHtt protein affects the neurons is unknown. In this study we explored the effects of mHtt expression by looking at changes in huntingtin localization, changes in the expression and co-localization of related proteins and differences in cell morphology. We examine how this expression affects the cytoskeletal structures using neural stem cells Q7 (wild …

Depressive Symptomatology And Perceived Social Support In Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes, Kristiana Gay Huffman Cullum Phd, Cpnp

Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in the pediatric population in the last decade. One of the comorbidities of diabetes is depression. In the presence of depression, diabetes may be mismanaged by patients and lead to a decline in health. Diabetes with comorbid depression may have better disease management outcomes in the presence of higher levels of social support. Defining childhood depression, which encompasses adolescence, and the subtleties of this disorder compared to the adult counterpart, was needed to better delineate important variables for this research study. There are several instruments that evaluate adolescents' perceived social support, but a fairly …

ทันยุคกับการรักษาภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเรื้อรังทางยา, สราวุฒิ ศิวโมกษธรรม, ยงเกษม วรเศรษฐการกิจ

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

ภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเรื้อรังเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของภาพรวมของภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวที่มีขอบข่ายของโรคที่กว้าง และเป็นปัญหาสำคัญของระบบสาธารณสุขของประเทศเรา การรักษาหลักประกอบไปด้วยการให้สุขศึกษาเรื่องอาหาร การใช้ยา และการใช้อุปกรณ์แพทย์เฉพาะสำหรับภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวในผู้ป่วยบางราย ที่ผ่านมามีข้อมูลการศึกษาในกลุ่มผู้ป่วยหัวใจล้มเหลวเรื้อรังตีพิมพ์ออกมามากมายประกอบกับแนวทางการปฎิบัติดูแลรักษาผู้ป่วยกลุ่มนี้ที่ใช้ในประเทศที่พัฒนาแล้วเพิ่งได้รับการปรับปรุงให้ทันสมัยขึ้นในระยะเวลาไม่นานนี้ ดังนั้นบทความนี้จึงรวบรวมการรักษาด้วยยาที่สำคัญโดยเน้นยาในกลุ่มที่ออกฤทธิ์ยับยั้งระบบประสาทอัตโนมัติและต่อมไร้ท่อที่เกี่ยวข้อง รวมทั้งกล่าวถึงยาตัวใหม่ที่มีโอกาสจะนำมาใช้ในเวชปฏิบัติได้ในอนาคต.

ภาวะแทรกซ้อนทางระบบหัวใจและหลอดเลือดในผู้ป่วยโรคบีต้าธาลัสซีเมีย, สุดารัตน์ สถิตธรรมนิตย์, นภชาญ เอื้อประเสริฐ

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

โลหิตจางธาลัสซีเมียเป็นโรคทางพันธุกรรมที่เกิดจากการกลายพันธุ์ของยีนที่พบบ่อยที่สุดและเป็นปัญหาทางสาธารณสุขที่สำคัญของประเทศไทย ความก้าวหน้าในการดูแลรักษาผู้ป่วยโดยเฉพาะการให้เลือดและขับเหล็กทำให้ผู้ป่วยกลุ่มนี้มีอายุยืนยาวขึ้น อย่างไรก็ตามภาวะแทรกซ้อนทางหัวใจและหลอดเลือดยังถือเป็นสาเหตุการตายที่สำคัญที่สุดของผู้ป่วยบีต้าธาลัสซีเมีย ทั้งชนิดรุนแรงมากและรุนแรงปานกลาง โดยภาวะแทรกซ้อนทางหัวใจและหลอดเลือดของผู้ป่วยบีต้าธาลัสซีเมียทั้งสองกลุ่มนี้มีความแตกต่างกันมากทั้งอาการแสดงทางคลินิก และพยาธิวิทยาของการเกิดโดยพบว่าผู้ป่วยบีต้าธาลัสซีเมียชนิดรุนแรงมากพบภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวด้านซ้ายได้เป็นส่วนใหญ่ส่วนผู้ป่วยบีต้าธาลัสซีเมียชนิดรุนแรงปานกลางส่วนใหญ่พบภาวะความดันหลอดเลือดแดงในปอดสูงและหัวใจล้มเหลวด้านขวา บททบทวนวรรณกรรมนี้ได้เรียบเรียงความผิดปกติทางหัวใจและหลอดเลือดของผู้ป่วยบีต้าธาลัสซีเมียทั้งชนิดรุนแรงมากและรุนแรงปานกลาง โดยจะเน้นที่กลไกการเกิดความผิดปกติซึ่งมีความแตกต่างกันระหว่างสองกลุ่ม.

การพัฒนาเครื่องช่วยเดินแบบมีเก้าอี้พับเก็บได้พร้อมอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายขา, อรอุมา บุณยารมย์, พิมพร จันทร์แก่นทอง, ณัฐรินีย์ เลิศสถิตรุ่ง, สมภิยา สมถวิล, รณกฤต แสงผ่อง, จุฑาลักษณ์ กองสุข

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

เหตุผลของการทำวิจัย : เครื่องช่วยเดินที่พัฒนาขึ้นมีการติดตั้งเก้าอี้นั่งพักแบบถอดเก็บได้ตัวเครื่องพกพา พับเก็บได้ และสามารถออกกำลังกายขาไปพร้อม ๆกับการนั่งพักวัตถุประสงค์ : เพื่อประดิษฐ์ ทดสอบประสิทธิภาพ และประเมินความพึงพอใจต่อเครื่องช่วยเดินแบบมีเก้าอี้พับเก็บได้พร้อมอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายขารูปแบบการวิจัย : การวิจัยเชิงพัฒนาสถานที่ทำการศึกษา ภาควิชากายภาพบำบัด คณะสหเวชศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยนเรศวรตัวอย่างและวิธีการศึกษา : โดยออกแบบเครื่องให้สามารถพับเก็บได้เพื่อสะดวกต่อการนำออกไปใช้นอกสถานที่ ประหยัดพื้นที่ในการจัดเก็บ รวมทั้งมีเก้าอี้นั่งพักและมีอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายขา โดยทำการศึกษาในอาสาสมัคร จำนวน30 คนผลการศึกษา : ผลการทดสอบประสิทธิภาพและประเมินความพึงพอใจต่อเครื่องช่วยเดินแบบมีเก้าอี้พับเก็บได้พร้อมอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายขาที่ประดิษฐ์ขึ้นพบว่าอยู่ในระดับดี (4.14 ± 0.31 และ 4.01 ± 0.82 ตามลำดับ)สรุป : เครื่องช่วยเดินแบบมีเก้าอี้พับเก็บได้พร้อมอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายขามีประโยชน์ในการใช้งานด้านความสะดวกสบาย และมีอุปกรณ์ออกกำลังกายเสริมแก่ผู้ใช้.

Labrad : Vol 40, Issue 2 - November 2014, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

LABRAD - Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Radiology Archives

• Significance of HLA Typing in Transplant Medicine
• Role of Protocol Renal Biopsies in Transplant Patients
• Blood Product Utilization in Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
• Use of Magic Marker “C4d” in the Diagnosis of Acute Antibody Mediated Rejection in Renal Transplant Patients
• Coagulopathy in Renal Transplantation
• Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Cyclosporine
• Signifi cance of CMV antigenemia Assay In Renal Transplant Patients
• Pretransplant Serological Evaluation
• Importance of Monitoring Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and BKV (Polyomavirus) Infection in Renal Transplant Patients

Measuring The Affect Of Diabetes On Sleep Disordered Breathing, Angela Hacker, Naima Shifa

Annual Student Research Poster Session

No abstract provided.

Use Of Antenatal Corticosteroids And Tocolytic Drugs In Preterm Births In 29 Countries: An Analysis Of The Who Multicountry Survey On Maternal And Newborn Health, Joshua P. Vogel, João Paulo Souza, A Metin Gülmezoglu, Rintaro Mori, Pisake Lumbiganon, Zahida Qureshi, Guillermo Carroli, Malinee Laopaiboon, Bukola Fawole, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Despite the global burden of morbidity and mortality associated with preterm birth, little evidence is available for use of antenatal corticosteroids and tocolytic drugs in preterm births in low-income and middle-income countries. We analysed data from the WHO Multicountry Survey on Maternal and Newborn Health (WHOMCS) to assess coverage for these interventions in preterm deliveries.

Methods: WHOMCS is a facility-based, cross-sectional survey database of birth outcomes in 359 facilities in 29 countries, with data collected prospectively from May 1, 2010, to Dec 31, 2011. For this analysis, we included deliveries after 22 weeks’ gestation and we excluded births that …