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ÂPeople who are trying where can i buy levitra their best do not when does levitra go generic respond to criticism. They respond to helpâ.David Crisp circa 2007Dr Piotr Szawarski1 in the first paper identifies important features of our health service that may lead to burnout and asks important questions, whereas Ahmed and Scott2 outline similar concerns along with structured suggestions as to how these might be addressed.Healthcare is an industry like no other. To treat humans as if they were a part of an industrial system is not humane.

We have to cope with long working hours, dynamic situations, clinical uncertainties, equivocal or unhelpful results, colleagues who may or may not be supportive, and increasing patient where can i buy levitra expectations. In addition, artificial Intelligence is on the March and will deliver high (?. Higher) standards of algorithmic driven measures of performance.Healthcare systems are increasingly expected to deliver efficacy and reliability.

We all contribute to the system, but we are where can i buy levitra not an inanimate part of the system. We have animated problems, one of which is that accumulation of knowledge is usually exponential, not linear, but we are expected to benefit from accumulations of fragmented parts of the medical whole, often delivered by specialists rather than by generalists. Healthcare in the UK at least involves high levels of specialisation both in individuals and â¦Waiting patiently to get myself tested for erectile dysfunction treatment, several thoughts crossed my mind.

Did I where can i buy levitra sign up for this?. Do I risk my safety for others?. Is this my moral responsibility?.

And how did I find myself outside where can i buy levitra the testing booth?. The answer to the last question was that I was a primary suspect in contact with the nursing officer in my department who had tested positive for the dreaded erectile dysfunction treatment a day before. Although my result was negative and I have been put under quarantine, several questions trouble me.

And some go as far back as to why did I step foot into where can i buy levitra a medical school?. Is it all worth it?. Not just me, these are some of the questions facing every healthcare professional working as a frontline warrior battling this deadly levitra that has befallen mankind.

Over 9âmonths and millions where can i buy levitra infected, the end seems nowhere in sight. On one hand, we have the adversities and the risks involved at workplace in such trying times. On the other, stories of mistreatment of healthcare workers act as a huge deterrent to our morale and resolve to continue this fight which has uncertainty written all over it.Refusing rented accommodation for healthcare workers or pelting them with stones when all they were doing were fulfilling their responsibility of isolating the contacts are some of the examples which has put a huge dent into the passion and resolution with which we had decided to join this noble profession.1 Am I still the young 17âyears old pledging the Hippocratic oath at the top of my voice with all passion and hope?.

I guess not, 11 years on and having seen numerous instances of ill treatment of medics, I have no qualms in saying that this honourable profession does not enjoy the same admiration and reverence it once did.And talking about the Hippocratic oath,2 we have been taught the concept of primum non nocere, which means first do no harm in where can i buy levitra Latin. But does this apply only to the patients we cater to?. Should not this first apply to ourselves?.

Should not we be not harming ourselves, mentally or where can i buy levitra physically?. Be it the airline safety protocol or the disaster management protocol, the rule is to always equip yourself before you help others. And that in my opinion can be extrapolated to our current scenario.

In all the love and respect for the work we do, we as healthcare professionals forget ourselves, forget our families who where can i buy levitra despite being thousands of miles away do not proceed with their lives before ensuring our safety first. We owe it to them.Then the question arises do we treat the society just the way it treats us?. The answer is no.

As there might be a huge chunk of the community who might have lost the respect for the medics for whatever reasons, I would not go on to the extent of where can i buy levitra generalising the entire society as thankless. There are still people who immensely revere the medical fraternity also known as the white brigade and have pinned all their hopes on us in these difficult times. We need to work for them.

We need to fight for them.Despite the adversities, this levitra has sprung on the human race, if there is one solace the same community at large has, the one belief that they where can i buy levitra have put their heart into, is the trust they have on us, the medics, the first-line defence. We are supposed to be their heroes. When thousands stood in their balconies clapping for us across the world or when there were songs and tributes written as an ode to our fraternity, it highlighted their vulnerability and how they trusted us to overcome this mayhem and get them across the line.Borrowing a quote by Nick Fury from the Avengers movie âThere was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if we could become something moreâ,3 I would go on to say that probably God intended that group of people to be us, the medics and the paramedics.

And we where can i buy levitra do hold a moral responsibility to help, to serve, to provide and to heal. And this has put a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the medical fraternity. Clinicians, researchers and healthcare workers alike.

The front liners are working tirelessly to curb and mitigate the effects of the disease while the researchers are brainstorming behind the scene to find a cure, to find a treatment which can put an end to all this mayhem.With the social media and news agencies abuzz with rising numbers and the toll the levitra has taken worldwide, it is very easy to fall prey to rumours and may lead to an increase in panic, anxiety and apprehension.4 This has given rise to an increase in the mental health problems, not just in the general population but the healthcare personnel which can further cloud their resolve to fight.5 Also, it is very essential to keep a clear head moving forward which can be achieved by staying connected, fighting as a team and keeping all negative thoughts at bay.Thus at present, the situation we find ourselves where can i buy levitra in is akin to those soldiers and military personnel protecting the borders from foreign invasion and despite the bicameral attitude of the society towards its caregivers, we will have to continue marching forward with all precautions ensuring our safety. Coming back to the problem at hand, the erectile dysfunction treatment levitra, despite the hardships and risks we face, be it the society we live in or the lack of proper safety equipment at workplace, I hope that we as healthcare providers would not back down from the war we face against the levitra and will come out triumphant. And if we are going to win this war, some of us might have to lose a battle or two and in the end it will all be worth it.

The noble profession has where can i buy levitra already started to regain its lost glory and you Mr. SARS CO-V 2 will lose.We as healthcare professionals often find yourselves in the midst of many ethical dilemmas throughout our career, and the ongoing erectile dysfunction treatment levitra is one such situation. We on one hand have our moral and ethical responsibility to help the society in these difficult times and on the other are worried about our own safety and the constant fear of contracting the disease ourselves.5 The dichotomous attitude of the society only adds to the predicament.

Therefore, we need to downplay the pessimism surrounding us and have to keep marching forward with a clear mind and a positive attitude in our quest to mitigate the effects of the levitra..

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IntroductionIn recent years, many studies have been published on new diagnostic possibilities and management approaches in cohorts of patients suspected to have a disorder/difference of sex development (DSD).1â13 Based on these studies, it has become clear that services and institutions still differ in the composition of the multidisciplinary teams that provide care for patients who generic levitra best price have a DSD.11 14 Several projects have now worked to resolve this variability in care. The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (EU COST) action BM1303 âA systematic elucidation of differences of sex developmentâ has been a platform to achieve European agreement on harmonisation of clinical management and laboratory practices.15â17 Another such initiative involved an update of the 2006 DSD consensus document by an international group of professionals and patient representatives.18 These initiatives have highlighted how cultural and financial aspects and the availability of resources generic levitra best price differ significantly between countries and societies, a situation that hampers supranational agreement on common diagnostic protocols. As only a few national guidelines have been published in international journals, comparison of these guidelines is difficult even though such a comparison is necessary to capture the differences and initiate actions to overcome them. Nonetheless, four DSD (expert) centres located in the Netherlands and Flanders (the Dutch-speaking Northern part of Belgium) have collaborated to produce a detailed guideline on diagnostics in DSD.19 This shows that a supranational guideline can be a reasonable approach for countries with similarly generic levitra best price structured healthcare systems and similar resources. Within the guideline there is agreement that optimisation of expertise and care can be achieved through centralisation, for example, by limiting analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic panels to only a few centres and by centralising pathological review of gonadal tissues.

International networks such as the European Reference Network for rare endocrine conditions (EndoERN), in which DSD generic levitra best price is embedded, may facilitate the expansion of this kind of collaboration across Europe.This paper highlights key discussion points in the Dutch-Flemish guideline that have been insufficiently addressed in the literature thus far because they reflect evolving technologies or less visible stakeholders. For example, prenatal observation of an atypical aspect of the genitalia indicating a possible DSD is becoming increasingly common, and we discuss appropriate counselling and a diagnostic approach for these cases, including the option of using NGS-based genetic testing. So far, little attention has been paid to this process.20 generic levitra best price 21 Furthermore, informing patients and/or their parents about atypical sex development and why this may warrant referral to a specialised team may be challenging, especially for professionals with limited experience in DSD.22 23 Therefore, a section of the Dutch-Flemish guideline was written for these healthcare providers. Moreover, this enables DSD specialists to refer to the guideline when advising a referral. Transition from the prenatal to the generic levitra best price postnatal team and from the paediatric to the adult team requires optimal communication between the specialists involved.

Application of NGS-based techniques may lead to a higher diagnostic yield, providing a molecular genetic diagnosis in previously unsolved cases.16 We address the timing of this testing and the problems associated with this technique such as the interpretation of variants of unknown clinical significance (VUS). Similarly, histopathological interpretation and classification of removed generic levitra best price gonadal tissue is challenging and would benefit from international collaboration and centralisation of expertise.MethodsFor the guideline revision, an interdisciplinary multicentre group was formed with all members responsible for updating the literature for a specific part of the guideline. Literature search in PubMed was not systematic, but rather intended to be broad in order to cover all areas and follow expert opinions. This approach is more in line with the Clinical Practice Advisory Document method described by Burke et al24 for guidelines involving generic levitra best price genetic practice because it is often troublesome to substantiate such guidelines with sufficient evidence due to the rapid changes in testing methods, for example, gene panels. All input provided by the group was synthesised by the chairperson (YvB), who also reviewed abstracts of papers on DSD published between 2010 and September 2017 for the guideline and up to October 2019 for this paper.

Abstracts had to be written in generic levitra best price English and were identified using a broad range of Medical Subject Headings terms (eg, DSD, genetic, review, diagnosis, diagnostics, 46,XX DSD, 46,XY DSD, guideline, multidisciplinary care). Next, potentially relevant papers on diagnostic procedures in DSD were selected. Case reports generic levitra best price were excluded, as were articles that were not open access or retrievable through institutional access. Based on this, a draft guideline was produced that was in line with the international principles of good diagnostic care in DSD. This draft was discussed by the writing committee and, after having obtained agreement on remaining points of discussion, revised into a generic levitra best price final draft.

This version was sent to a broad group of professionals from academic centres and DSD teams whose members had volunteered to review the draft guideline. After receiving and incorporating their input, the final generic levitra best price version was presented to the paediatric and genetic associations for approval. After approval by the members of the paediatric (NVK), clinical genetic (VKGN) and genetic laboratory (VKGL) associations, the guideline was published on their respective websites.19 Although Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome are considered to be part of the DSD spectrum, they are not extensively discussed in this diagnostic guideline as guidelines dedicated to these syndromes already exist.25 26 However, some individuals with Turner syndrome or Klinefelter syndrome may present with ambiguous or atypical genitalia and may therefore initially follow the DSD diagnostic process.Guideline highlightsPrenatal settingPresentationThe most frequent prenatal presentation of a DSD condition is atypical genitalia found on prenatal ultrasound as an isolated finding or in combination with other structural anomalies. This usually occurs after the 20-week routine medical ultrasound for screening of congenital anomalies, but may also occur earlier, for example, when a generic levitra best price commercial ultrasound is performed at the request of the parents.Another way DSD can be diagnosed before birth is when invasive prenatal genetic testing carried out for a different reason, for example, due to suspicion of other structural anomalies, reveals a discrepancy between the genotypic sex and the phenotypic sex seen by ultrasound. In certified laboratories, the possibility of a sample switch is extremely low but should be ruled out immediately.

More often, the discrepancy will be due to sex-chromosome mosaicism or a true form of DSD.A situation now occurring with increasing frequency is a discrepancy between the genotypic sex revealed by non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which is now available to high-risk pregnant women generic levitra best price in the Netherlands and to all pregnant women in Belgium, and later ultrasound findings. NIPT screens for CNVs in the fetus. However, depending on legal restrictions and/or ethical considerations, the X and Y chromosomes are not always included in NIPT generic levitra best price analysis and reports. If the X and Y chromosomes are included, it is important to realise that the presence of a Y-chromosome does not necessarily imply male fetal development. At the time that NIPT is performed (usually 11â13 weeks), genital development cannot be reliably appreciated by ultrasound, so any discrepancy or atypical aspect of the genitalia will only be noticed later in pregnancy and should prompt further evaluation.Counselling and diagnosticsIf a DSD is suspected, generic levitra best price first-line sonographers and obstetricians should refer the couple to their colleague prenatal specialists working with or in a DSD team.

After confirming an atypical genital on ultrasound, the specialist team should offer the couple a referral for genetic counselling to discuss the possibility of performing invasive prenatal testing (usually an amniocentesis) to identify an underlying cause that fits the ultrasound findings.22 23 To enable the parents to make a well-informed decision, prenatal counselling should, in our opinion, include. Information on the ultrasound findings and generic levitra best price the limitations of this technique. The procedure(s) that can be followed, including the risks associated with an amniocentesis. And the type of information genetic testing can generic levitra best price and cannot provide. Knowing which information has been provided and what words have been used by the prenatal specialist is very helpful for those involved in postnatal care.It is important that parents understand that the biological sex of a baby is determined by a complex interplay of chromosomes, genes and hormones, and thus that assessment of the presence or absence of a Y-chromosome alone is insufficient to assign the sex of their unborn child or, as in any unborn child, say anything about the childâs future gender identity.Expecting parents can be counselled by the clinical geneticist and the psychologist from the DSD team, although other DSD specialists can also be involved.

The clinical geneticist should be experienced in prenatal counselling and well informed about generic levitra best price the diagnostic possibilities given the limited time span in which test results need to be available to allow parents to make a well-informed decision about whether or not to continue the pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy can be considered, for instance, in a syndromic form of DSD generic levitra best price with multiple malformations, but when the DSD occurs as an apparently isolated condition, expecting parents may also consider termination of pregnancy, which, although considered controversial by some, is legal in Belgium and the Netherlands. The psychologist of the DSD team can support parents during and after pregnancy and help them cope with feelings of uncertainty and eventual considerations of a termination of pregnancy, as well as with practical issues, for example, how to inform others. The stress of not knowing exactly what the childâs genitalia will look like and uncertainty about the diagnosis, generic levitra best price treatment and prognosis cannot be avoided completely. Parents are informed that if the postnatal phenotype is different from what was prenatally expected, the advice given about diagnostic testing can be adjusted accordingly, for example, if a hypospadias is milder than was expected based on prenatal ultrasound images.

In our experience, parents appreciate having already spoken to some members of the DSD team during pregnancy and having a contact person before birth.After expert prenatal counselling, a significant number of pregnant couples decline prenatal testing (personal experience IALG, MK, generic levitra best price ABD, YvB, MC and HC-vdG). At birth, umbilical cord blood is a good source for (molecular) karyotyping and storage of DNA and can be obtained by the obstetrician, midwife or neonatologist. The terminology used in communication with parents should be carefully chosen,22 23 and midwives and staff of neonatal and delivery units should be clearly instructed to use gender-neutral and non-stigmatising vocabulary (eg, generic levitra best price âyour babyâ) as long as sex assignment is pending.An algorithm for diagnostic evaluation of a suspected DSD in the prenatal situation is proposed in figure 1. When couples opt for invasive prenatal diagnosis, the genetic analysis usually involves an (SNP)-array. It was recently estimated that >30% of individuals who have a DSD have additional structural anomalies, with cardiac and neurological anomalies and fetal growth restriction being particularly common.27 generic levitra best price 28 If additional anomalies are seen, the geneticist can consider specific gene defects that may underlie a known genetic syndrome or carry out NGS.

NGS-based techniques have also now made their appearance in prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies.29 30 Panels using these techniques can be specific for genes involved in DSD, or be larger panels covering multiple congenital anomalies, and are usually employed with trio-analysis to compare variants identified in the child with the parentsâ genetics.29â31 Finding a genetic cause before delivery can help reduce parental stress in the neonatal period and speed up decisions regarding gender assignment. In such cases there is no tight time limit, and we propose completing the analysis well before the expected delivery.Disorders/differences of generic levitra best price sex development (DSD) in the prenatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. *SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!.

Conventional karyotyping can be useful. NGS, next-generation sequencing." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 1 Disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the prenatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. *SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!.

Conventional karyotyping can be useful. NGS, next-generation sequencing.First contact by a professional less experienced in DSDWhereas most current guidelines start from the point when an individual has been referred to the DSD team,1 15 the Dutch-Flemish guideline dedicates a chapter to healthcare professionals less experienced in DSD as they are often the first to suspect or identify such a condition. Apart from the paper of Indyk,7 little guidance is available for these professionals about how to act in such a situation. The chapter in the Dutch-Flemish guideline summarises the various clinical presentations that a DSD can have and provides information on how to communicate with parents and/or patients about the findings of the physical examination, the first-line investigations and the need for prompt referral to a specialised centre for further evaluation. Clinical examples are offered to illustrate some of these recurring situations.

The medical issues in DSD can be very challenging, and the social and psychological impact is high. For neonates with ambiguous genitalia, sex assignment is an urgent and crucial issue, and it is mandatory that parents are informed that it is possible to postpone registration of their childâs sex. In cases where sex assignment has already taken place, the message that the development of the gonads or genitalia is still atypical is complicated and distressing for patients and parents or carers. A list of contact details for DSD centres and patient organisations in the Netherlands and Flanders is attached to the Dutch-Flemish guideline. Publishing such a list, either in guidelines or online, can help healthcare professionals find the nearest centres for consultations and provide patients and patient organisations with an overview of the centres where expertise is available.Timing and place of genetic testing using NGS-based gene panelsThe diagnostic workup that is proposed for 46,XX and 46,XY DSD is shown in figures 2 and 3, respectively.

Even with the rapidly expanding molecular possibilities, a (family) history and a physical examination remain the essential first steps in the diagnostic process. Biochemical and hormonal screening aim at investigating serum electrolytes, renal function and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. Ultrasound screening of kidneys and internal genitalia, as well as establishing genotypic sex, should be accomplished within 48âhours and complete the baseline diagnostic work-up of a child born with ambiguous genitalia.1 16 32 3346,XX disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. NGS, next-generation sequencing.

CAH, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. AMH, Anti-MÃ¼llerian Hormone." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 2 46,XX disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. NGS, next-generation sequencing. CAH, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

AMH, Anti-MÃ¼llerian Hormone.46,XY disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. * SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!. Conventional karyotyping can be useful.

NGS, next-generation sequencing." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 3 46,XY disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm. *SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!. Conventional karyotyping can be useful.

NGS, next-generation sequencing.Very recently, a European position paper has been published focusing on the genetic workup of DSD.16 It highlights the limitations and drawbacks of NGS-based tests, which include the chance of missing subtle structural variants such as CNVs and mosaicism and the fact that NGS cannot detect methylation defects or other epigenetic changes.16 28 31 Targeted DNA analysis is preferred in cases where hormonal investigations suggest a block in steroidogenesis (eg, 11-Î²-hydroxylase deficiency, 21-hydroxylase deficiency), or in the context of a specific clinical constellation such as the often coincidental finding of MÃ¼llerian structures in a boy with normal external genitalia or cryptorchidism, that is, persistent MÃ¼llerian duct syndrome.33 34 Alternative tests should also be considered depending on the available information. Sometimes, a simple mouth swab for FISH analysis can detect mosaic XY/X in a male with hypospadias or asymmetric gonadal development or in a female with little or no Turner syndrome stigmata and a normal male molecular karyotyping profile or peripheral blood karyotype. Such targeted testing avoids incidental findings and is cheaper and faster than analysis of a large NGS-based panel, although the cost difference is rapidly declining.However, due to the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of DSD conditions, the most cost-effective next steps in the majority of cases are whole exome sequencing followed by panel analysis of genes involved in genital development and function or trio-analysis of a large gene panel (such as a Mendeliome).16 35â38 Pretest genetic counselling involves discussing what kind of information will be reported to patients or parents and the chance of detecting VUS, and the small risk of incidental findings when analysing a DSD panel should be mentioned. Laboratories also differ in what class of variants they report.39 In our experience, the fear of incidental findings is a major reason why some parents refrain from genetic testing.Timing of the DSD gene panel analysis is also important. While some patients or parents prefer that all diagnostic procedures be performed as soon as possible, others need time to reflect on the complex information related to more extensive genetic testing and on its possible consequences.

If parents or patients do not consent to panel-based genetic testing, analysis of specific genes, such as WT1, should be considered when appropriate in view of the clinical consequences if a mutation is present (eg, clinical surveillance of renal function and screening for Wilmsâ tumour in the case of WT1 mutations). Genes that are more frequently involved in DSD (eg, SRY, NR5A1) and that match the specific clinical and hormonal features in a given patient could also be considered for sequencing. Targeted gene analysis may also be preferred in centres located in countries that do not have the resources or technical requirements to perform NGS panel-based genetic testing. Alternatively, participation by these centres in international collaborative networks may allow them to outsource the molecular genetic workup abroad.Gene panels differ between centres and are regularly updated based on scientific progress. A comparison of DSD gene panels used in recent studies can be found at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-018-0010-8%23Sec46.15 The panels currently used at the coauthorsâ institutions can be found on their respective websites.

Given the pace of change, it is important to regularly consider repeating analysis in patients with an unexplained DSD, for example, when they transition into adult care or when they move from one centre to another. This also applies to patients in whom a clinical diagnosis has never been genetically confirmed. Confusion may arise when the diagnosis cannot be confirmed or when a mutation is identified in a different gene, for example, NR5A1 in someone with a clinical diagnosis of CAIS that has other consequences for relatives. Hence, new genetic counselling should always accompany new diagnostic endeavours.Class 3 variants and histopathological examinationsThe rapidly evolving diagnostic possibilities raise new questions. What do laboratories report?.

How should we deal with the frequent findings of mainly unique VUS or class 3 variants (ACMG recommendation) in the many different DSD-related genes in the diagnostic setting?. Reporting VUS can be a source of uncertainty for parents, but not reporting these variants precludes further investigations to determine their possible pathogenicity. It can also be difficult to prove variant pathogenicity, both on gene-level and variant-level.39 Moreover, given the gonad-specific expression of some genes and the variable phenotypic spectrum and reduced penetrance, segregation analysis is not always informative. A class 3 variant that does not fit the clinical presentation may be unrelated to the observed phenotype, but it could also represent a newly emerging phenotype. This was recently demonstrated by the identification of the NR5A1 mutation, R92W, in individuals with 46,XX testicular and ovotesticular DSD.40 This gene had previously been associated with 46,XY DSD.

In diagnostic laboratories, there is usually no capacity or expertise to conduct large-scale functional studies to determine pathogenicity of these unique class 3 VUS in the different genes involved in DSD. Functional validation of variants identified in novel genes may be more attractive in a research context. However, for individual families with VUS in well-established DSD genes such as AR or HSD17B3, functional analysis may provide a confirmed diagnosis that implies for relatives the option of undergoing their own DNA analysis and estimating the genetic risk of their own future offspring. This makes genetic follow-up important in these cases and demonstrates the usefulness of international databases and networks and the centralisation of functional studies of genetic variants in order to reduce costs and maximise expertise.The same is true for histopathological description, germ-cell tumour risk assessment in specific forms of DSD and classification of gonadal samples. Germ-cell tumour risk is related to the type of DSD (among other factors), but it is impossible to make risk estimates in individual cases.41â44 Gonadectomy may be indicated in cases with high-risk dysgenetic abdominal gonads that cannot be brought into a stable superficial (ie, inguinal, labioscrotal) position that allows clinical or radiological surveillance, or to avoid virilisation due to 5-alpha reductase deficiency in a 46,XY girl with a stable female gender identity.45 Pathological examination of DSD gonads requires specific expertise.

For example, the differentiation between benign germ cell abnormalities, such as delayed maturation and (pre)malignant development of germ cells, is crucial for clinical management but can be very troublesome.46 Centralised pathological examination of gonadal biopsy and gonadectomy samples in one centre, or a restricted number of centres, on a national scale can help to overcome the problem of non-uniform classification and has proven feasible in the Netherlands and Belgium. We therefore believe that uniform assessment and classification of gonadal differentiation patterns should also be addressed in guidelines on DSD management.International databases of gonadal tissues are crucial for learning more about the risk of malignancy in different forms of DSD, but they are only reliable if uniform criteria for histological classification are strictly applied.46 These criteria could be incorporated in many existing networks such as the I-DSD consortium, the Disorders of Sex Development Translational Research Network, the European Reference Network on Urogenital Diseases (eUROGEN), the EndoERN and COST actions.15â17 47Communication at the transition from paediatric to adult carePaediatric and adult teams need to collaborate closely to facilitate a well-organised transition from paediatric to adult specialist care.15 48â50 Both teams need to exchange information optimally and should consider transition as a longitudinal process rather than a fixed moment in time. Age-appropriate information is key at all ages, and an overview of topics to be discussed at each stage is described by Cools et al.15 Table 1 shows an example of how transition can be organised.View this table:Table 1 Example of transition table as used in the DSD clinic of the Erasmus Medical CenterPsychological support and the continued provision of information remains important for individuals with a DSD at all ages.15 22 In addition to the information given by the DSD team members, families and patients can benefit from resources such as support groups and information available on the internet.47 Information available online should be checked for accuracy and completeness when referring patients and parents to internet sites.Recommendations for future actionsMost guidelines and articles on the diagnosis and management of DSD are aimed at specialists and are only published in specialist journals or on websites for endocrinologists, urologists or geneticists. Yet there is a need for guidelines directed towards first-line and second-line healthcare workers that summarise the recommendations about the first crucial steps in the management of DSD. These should be published in widely available general medical journals and online, along with a national list of DSD centres.

Furthermore, DSD (expert) centres should provide continuous education to all those who may be involved in the identification of individuals with a DSD in order to enable these healthcare professionals to recognise atypical genitalia, to promptly refer individuals who have a DSD and to inform the patient and parents about this and subsequent diagnostic procedures.As DSD continues to be a rare condition, it will take time to evaluate the effects of having such a guideline on the preparedness of first-line and second-line healthcare workers to recognise DSD conditions. One way to evaluate this might be the development and use of questionnaires asking patients, carers and families and referring physicians how satisfied they were with the initial medical consultation and referral and what could be improved. A helpful addition to existing international databases that collect information on genetic variations would be a list of centres that offer suitable functional studies for certain genes, ideally covering the most frequently mutated genes (at minimum).Patient organisations can also play an important role in informing patients about newly available diagnostic or therapeutic strategies and options, and their influence and specific role has now been recognised and discussed in several publications.17 47 However, it should be kept in mind that these organisations do not represent all patients, as a substantial number of patients and parents are not member of such an organisation.Professionals have to provide optimal medical care based on well-established evidence, or at least on broad consensus. Yet not everything can be regulated by recommendations and guidelines. Options, ideas and wishes should be openly discussed between professionals, patients and families within their confidential relationship.

This will enable highly individualised holistic care tailored to the patientâs needs and expectations. Once they are well-informed of all available options, parents and/or patients can choose what they consider the optimal care for their children or themselves.15 16ConclusionThe Dutch-Flemish guideline uniquely addresses some topics that are under-represented in the literature, thus adding some key aspects to those addressed in recent consensus papers and guidelines.15â17 33 47As more children with a DSD are now being identified prenatally, and the literature on prenatal diagnosis of DSD remains scarce,20 21 we propose a prenatal diagnostic algorithm and emphasise the importance of having a prenatal specialist involved in or collaborating with DSD (expert) centres.We also stress that good communication between all involved parties is essential. Professionals should be well informed about protocols and communication. Collaboration between centres is necessary to optimise aspects of care such as uniform interpretation of gonadal pathology and functional testing of class 3 variants found by genetic testing. Guidelines can provide a framework within which individualised patient care should be discussed with all stakeholders.AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank the colleagues of the DSD teams for their input in and critical reading of the Dutch-Flemish guideline.

Amsterdam University Center (AMC and VU), Maastricht University Medical Center, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Medical Center Utrecht, Ghent University Hospital. The authors would like to thank Kate McIntyre for editing the revised manuscript and Tom de Vries Lentsch for providing the figures as a PDF. Three of the authors of this publication are members of the European Reference Network for rare endocrine diseasesâProject ID 739543.IntroductionEndometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological malignancy in the developed world.1 Its incidence has risen over the last two decades as a consequence of the ageing population, fewer hysterectomies for benign disease and the obesity epidemic. In the USA, it is estimated that women have a 1 in 35 lifetime risk of endometrial cancer, and in contrast to cancers of most other sites, cancer-specific mortality has risen by approximately 2% every year since 2008 related to the rapidly rising incidence.2Endometrial cancer has traditionally been classified into type I and type II based on morphology.3 The more common subtype, type I, is mostly comprised of endometrioid tumours and is oestrogen-driven, arises from a hyperplastic endometrium, presents at an early stage and has an excellent 5âyear survival rate.4 By contrast, type II includes non-endometrioid tumours, specifically serous, carcinosarcoma and clear cell subtypes, which are biologically aggressive tumours with a poor prognosis that are often diagnosed at an advanced stage.5 Recent efforts have focused on a molecular classification system for more accurate categorisation of endometrial tumours into four groups with distinct prognostic profiles.6 7The majority of endometrial cancers arise through the interplay of familial, genetic and lifestyle factors. Two inherited cancer predisposition syndromes, Lynch syndrome and the much rarer Cowden syndrome, substantially increase the lifetime risk of endometrial cancer, but these only account for around 3â5% of cases.8â10 Having first or second degree relative(s) with endometrial or colorectal cancer increases endometrial cancer risk, although a large European twin study failed to demonstrate a strong heritable link.11 The authors failed to show that there was greater concordance in monozygotic than dizygotic twins, but the study was based on relatively small numbers of endometrial cancers.

Lu and colleagues reported an association between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and endometrial cancer risk, revealing the potential role of SNPs in explaining part of the risk in both the familial and general populations.12 Thus far, many SNPs have been reported to modify susceptibility to endometrial cancer. However, much of this work predated genome wide association studies and is of variable quality. Understanding genetic predisposition to endometrial cancer could facilitate personalised risk assessment with a view to targeted prevention and screening interventions.13 This emerged as the most important unanswered research question in endometrial cancer according to patients, carers and healthcare professionals in our recently completed James Lind Womb Cancer Alliance Priority Setting Partnership.14 It would be particularly useful for non-endometrioid endometrial cancers, for which advancing age is so far the only predictor.15We therefore conducted a comprehensive systematic review of the literature to provide an overview of the relationship between SNPs and endometrial cancer risk. We compiled a list of the most robust endometrial cancer-associated SNPs. We assessed the applicability of this panel of SNPs with a theoretical polygenic risk score (PRS) calculation.

We also critically appraised the meta-analyses investigating the most frequently reported SNPs in MDM2. Finally, we described all SNPs reported within genes and pathways that are likely involved in endometrial carcinogenesis and metastasis.MethodsOur systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) collaboration 2009 recommendations. The registered protocol is available through PROSPERO (CRD42018091907).16Search strategyWe searched Embase, MEDLINE and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases via the Healthcare Databases Advanced Search (HDAS) platform, from 2007 to 2018, to identify studies reporting associations between polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk. Key words including MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms and free-text words were searched in both titles and abstracts. The following terms were used.

Âendomet*â,âuter*â, âwombâ, âcancer(s)â, âneoplasm(s)â, âendometrium tumourâ, âcarcinomaâ, âadenosarcomaâ, âclear cell carcinomaâ, âcarcinosarcomaâ, âSNPâ, âsingle nucleotide polymorphismâ, âGWASâ, and âgenome-wide association study/iesâ. No other restrictions were applied. The search was repeated with time restrictions between 2018 and June 2019 to capture any recent publications.Eligibility criteriaStudies were selected for full-text evaluation if they were primary articles investigating a relationship between endometrial cancer and SNPs. Study outcome was either the increased or decreased risk of endometrial cancer relative to controls reported as an odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).Study selectionThree independent reviewers screened all articles uploaded to a screening spreadsheet developed by Helena VonVille.17 Disagreements were resolved by discussion. Chronbachâs Î± score was calculated between reviewers and indicated high consistency at 0.92.

Caseâcontrol, prospective and retrospective studies, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and both discovery and validation studies were selected for full-text evaluation. Non-English articles, editorials, conference abstracts and proceedings, letters and correspondence, case reports and review articles were excluded.Candidate-gene studies with at least 100 women and GWAS with at least 1000 women in the case arm were selected to ensure reliability of the results, as explained by Spencer et al.18 To construct a panel of up to 30 SNPs with the strongest evidence of association, those with the strongest p values were selected. For the purpose of an SNP panel, articles utilising broad European or multi-ethnic cohorts were selected. Where overlapping populations were identified, the most comprehensive study was included.Data extraction and synthesisFor each study, the following data were extracted. SNP ID, nearby gene(s)/chromosome location, OR (95%âCI), p value, minor or effect allele frequency (MAF/EAF), EA (effect allele) and OA (other allele), adjustment, ethnicity and ancestry, number of cases and controls, endometrial cancer type, and study type including discovery or validation study and meta-analysis.

For risk estimates, a preference towards most adjusted results was applied. For candidate-gene studies, a standard p value of<0.05 was applied and for GWAS a p value of <5Ã10-8, indicating genome-wide significance, was accepted as statistically significant. However, due to the limited number of SNPs with p values reaching genome-wide significance, this threshold was then lowered to <1Ã10-5, allowing for marginally significant SNPs to be included. As shown by Mavaddat et al, for breast cancer, SNPs that fall below genome-wide significance may still be useful for generating a PRS and improving the models.19We estimated the potential value of a PRS based on the most significant SNPs by comparing the predicted risk for a woman with a risk score in the top 1% of the distribution to the mean predicted risk. Per-allele ORs and MAFs were taken from the publications and standard errors (SEs) for the lnORs were derived from published 95% CIs.

The PRS was assumed to have a Normal distribution, with mean 2âÎ²ipI and SE, Ï, equal to â2âÎ²i2pI(1âpi), according to the binomial distribution, where the summation is over all SNPs in the risk score. Hence the relative risk (RR) comparing the top 1% of the distribution to the mean is given by exp(Z0.01Ï), where Z is the inverse of the standard normal cumulative distribution.ResultsThe flow chart of study selection is illustrated in figure 1. In total, 453 text articles were evaluated and, of those, 149 articles met our inclusion criteria. One study was excluded from table 1, for having an Asian-only population, as this would make it harder to compare with the rest of the results which were all either multi-ethnic or Caucasian cohorts, as stated in our inclusion criteria for the SNP panel.20 Any SNPs without 95% CIs were also excluded from any downstream analysis. Additionally, SNPs in linkage disequilibrium (r2 >0.2) with each other were examined, and of those in linkage disequilibrium, the SNP with strongest association was reported.

Per allele ORs were used unless stated otherwise.View this table:Table 1 List of top SNPs most likely to contribute to endometrial cancer risk identified through systematic review of recent literature21â25Study selection flow diagram. *Reasons. Irrelevant articles, articles focusing on other conditions, non-GWAS/candidate-gene study related articles, technical and duplicate articles. GWAS, genome-wide association study. Adapted from.

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(6). E1000097.

Doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 1 Study selection flow diagram. *Reasons. Irrelevant articles, articles focusing on other conditions, non-GWAS/candidate-gene study related articles, technical and duplicate articles. GWAS, genome-wide association study. Adapted from.

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(6). E1000097.

Doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097.Top SNPs associated with endometrial cancer riskFollowing careful interpretation of the data, 24 independent SNPs with the lowest p values that showed the strongest association with endometrial cancer were obtained (table 1).21â25 These SNPs are located in or around genes coding for transcription factors, cell growth and apoptosis regulators, and enzymes involved in the steroidogenesis pathway. All the SNPs presented here were reported on the basis of a GWAS or in one case, an exome-wide association study, and hence no SNPs from candidate-gene studies made it to the list. This is partly due to the nature of larger GWAS providing more comprehensive and powered results as opposed to candidate gene studies. Additionally, a vast majority of SNPs reported by candidate-gene studies were later refuted by large-scale GWAS such as in the case of TERT and MDM2 variants.26 27 The exception to this is the CYP19 gene, where candidate-gene studies reported an association between variants in this gene with endometrial cancer in both Asian and broad European populations, and this association was more recently confirmed by large-scale GWAS.21 28â30 Moreover, a recent article authored by OâMara and colleagues reviewed the GWAS that identified most of the currently known SNPs associated with endometrial cancer.31Most of the studies represented in table 1 are GWAS and the majority of these involved broad European populations. Those having a multi-ethnic cohort also consisted primarily of broad European populations.

Only four of the variants in table 1 are located in coding regions of a gene, or in regulatory flanking regions around the gene. Thus, most of these variants would not be expected to cause any functional effects on the gene or the resulting protein. An eQTL search using GTEx Portal showed that some of the SNPs are significantly associated (p<0.05) with modified transcription levels of the respective genes in various tissues such as prostate (rs11263761), thyroid (rs9668337), pituitary (rs2747716), breast mammary (rs882380) and testicular (rs2498794) tissue, as summarised in table 2.View this table:Table 2 List of eQTL hits for the selected panel of SNPsThe only variant for which there was an indication of a specific association with non-endometrioid endometrial cancer was rs148261157 near the BCL11A gene. The A allele of this SNP had a moderately higher association in the non-endometrioid arm (OR 1.64, 95%âCI 1.32 to 2.04. P=9.6Ã10-6) compared with the endometrioid arm (OR 1.25, 95%âCI 1.14 to 1.38.

P=4.7Ã10-6).21Oestrogen receptors Î± and Î² encoded by ESR1 and ESR2, respectively, have been extensively studied due to the assumed role of oestrogens in the development of endometrial cancer. OâMara et al reported a lead SNP (rs79575945) in the ESR1 region that was associated with endometrial cancer (p=1.86Ã10-5).24 However, this SNP did not reach genome-wide significance in a more recent larger GWAS.21 No statistically significant associations have been reported between endometrial cancer and SNPs in the ESR2 gene region.AKT is an oncogene linked to endometrial carcinogenesis. It is involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pro-proliferative signalling pathway to inactivate apoptosis and allow cell survival. The A allele of rs2494737 and G allele of rs2498796 were reported to be associated with increased and decreased risk of endometrial cancer in 2016, respectively.22 30 However, this association was not replicated in a larger GWAS in 2018.21 Nevertheless, given the previous strong indications, and biological basis that could explain endometrial carcinogenesis, we decided to include an AKT1 variant (rs2498794) in our results.PTEN is a multi-functional tumour suppressor gene that regulates the AKT/PKB signalling pathway and is commonly mutated in many cancers including endometrial cancer.32 Loss-of-function germline mutations in PTEN are responsible for Cowden syndrome, which exerts a lifetime risk of endometrial cancer of up to 28%.9 Lacey and colleagues studied SNPs in the PTEN gene region. However, none showed significant differences in frequency between 447 endometrial cancer cases and 439 controls of European ancestry.33KRAS mutations are known to be present in endometrial cancer.

These can be activated by high levels of KLF5 (transcriptional activator). Three SNPs have been identified in or around KLF5 that are associated with endometrial cancer. The G allele of rs11841589 (OR 1.15, 95%âCI 1.11 to 1.21. P=4.83Ã10-11), the A allele of rs9600103 (OR 1.23, 95%âCI 1.16 to 1.30. P=3.76Ã10-12) and C allele of rs7981863 (OR 1.16, 95%âCI 1.12 to 1.20.

P=2.70Ã10-17) have all been found to be associated with an increased likelihood of endometrial cancer in large European cohorts.21 30 34 It is worth noting that these SNPs are not independent, and hence they quite possibly tag the same causal variant.The MYC family of proto-oncogenes encode transcription factors that regulate cell proliferation, which can contribute to cancer development if dysregulated. The recent GWAS by OâMara et al reported three SNPs within the MYC region that reached genome-wide significance with conditional p values reaching at least 5Ã10â8.35To test the utility of these SNPs as predictive markers, we devised a theoretical PRS calculation using the log ORs and EAFs per SNP from the published data. The results were very encouraging with an RR of 3.16 for the top 1% versus the mean, using all the top SNPs presented in table 1 and 2.09 when using only the SNPs that reached genome-wide significance (including AKT1).Controversy surrounding MDM2 variant SNP309MDM2 negatively regulates tumour suppressor gene TP53, and as such, has been extensively studied in relation to its potential role in predisposition to endometrial cancer. Our search identified six original studies of the association between MDM2 SNP rs2279744 (also referred to as SNP309) and endometrial cancer, all of which found a statistically significant increased risk per copy of the G allele. Two more original studies were identified through our full-text evaluation.

However, these were not included here as they did not meet our inclusion criteriaâone due to small sample size, the other due to studying rs2279744 status dependent on another SNP.36 37 Even so, the two studies were described in multiple meta-analyses that are listed in table 3. Different permutations of these eight original studies appear in at least eight published meta-analyses. However, even the largest meta-analysis contained <2000 cases (table 3)38View this table:Table 3 Characteristics of studies that examined MDM2 SNP rs2279744In comparison, a GWAS including nearly 13â000 cases found no evidence of an association with OR and corresponding 95% CI of 1.00 (0.97 to 1.03) and a p value of 0.93 (personal communication).21 Nevertheless, we cannot completely rule out a role for MDM2 variants in endometrial cancer predisposition as the candidate-gene studies reported larger effects in Asians, whereas the GWAS primarily contained participants of European ancestry. There is also some suggestion that the SNP309 variant is in linkage disequilibrium with another variant, SNP285, which confers an opposite effect.It is worth noting that the SNP285C/SNP309G haplotype frequency was observed in up to 8% of Europeans, thus requiring correction for the confounding effect of SNP285C in European studies.39 However, aside from one study conducted by Knappskog et al, no other study including the meta-analyses corrected for the confounding effect of SNP285.40 Among the studies presented in table 3, Knappskog et al (2012) reported that after correcting for SNP285, the OR for association of this haplotype with endometrial cancer was much lower, though still significant. Unfortunately, the meta-analyses which synthesised Knappskog et al (2012), as part of their analysis, did not correct for SNP285C in the European-based studies they included.38 41 42 It is also concerning that two meta-analyses using the same primary articles failed to report the same result, in two instances.38 42â44DiscussionThis article represents the most comprehensive systematic review to date, regarding critical appraisal of the available evidence of common low-penetrance variants implicated in predisposition to endometrial cancer.

We have identified the most robust SNPs in the context of endometrial cancer risk. Of those, only 19 were significant at genome-wide level and a further five were considered marginally significant. The largest GWAS conducted in this field was the discovery- and meta-GWAS by OâMara et al, which utilised 12â096 cases and 108â979 controls.21 Despite the inclusion of all published GWAS and around 5000 newly genotyped cases, the total number did not reach anywhere near what is currently available for other common cancers such as breast cancer. For instance, BCAC (Breast Cancer Association Consortium) stands at well over 200â000 individuals with more than half being cases, and resulted in identification of ~170âSNPs in relation to breast cancer.19 45 A total of 313 SNPs including imputations were then used to derive a PRS for breast cancer.19 Therefore, further efforts should be directed to recruit more patients, with deep phenotypic clinical data to allow for relevant adjustments and subgroup analyses to be conducted for better precision.A recent pre-print study by Zhang and colleagues examined the polygenicity and potential for SNP-based risk prediction for 14 common cancers, including endometrial cancer, using available summary-level data from European-ancestry datasets.46 They estimated that there are just over 1000 independent endometrial cancer susceptibility SNPs, and that a PRS comprising all such SNPs would have an area under the receiver-operator curve of 0.64, similar to that predicted for ovarian cancer, but lower than that for the other cancers in the study. The modelling in the paper suggests that an endometrial cancer GWAS double the size of the current largest study would be able to identify susceptibility SNPs together explaining 40% of the genetic variance, but that in order to explain 75% of the genetic variance it would be necessary to have a GWAS comprising close to 150â000 cases and controls, far in excess of what is currently feasible.We found that the literature consists mainly of candidate-gene studies with small sample sizes, meta-analyses reporting conflicting results despite using the same set of primary articles, and multiple reports of significant SNPs that have not been validated by any larger GWAS.

The candidate-gene studies were indeed the most useful and cheaper technique available until the mid to late 2000s. However, a lack of reproducibility (particularly due to population stratification and reporting bias), uncertainty of reported associations, and considerably high false discovery rates make these studies much less appropriate in the post-GWAS era. Unlike the candidate-gene approach, GWAS do not require prior knowledge, selection of genes or SNPs, and provide vast amounts of data. Furthermore, both the genotyping process and data analysis phases have become cheaper, the latter particularly due to faster and open-access pre-phasing and imputation tools being made available.It is clear from table 1 that some SNPs were reported with wide 95%âCI, which can be directly attributed to small sample sizes particularly when restricting the cases to non-endometrioid histology only, low EAF or poor imputation quality. Thus, these should be interpreted with caution.

Additionally, most of the SNPs reported by candidate-gene studies were not detected by the largest GWAS to date conducted by OâMara et al.21 However, this does not necessarily mean that the possibility of those SNPs being relevant should be completely dismissed. Moreover, meta-analyses were attempted for other variants. However, these showed no statistically significant association and many presented with high heterogeneity between the respective studies (data not shown). Furthermore, as many studies utilised the same set of cases and/or controls, conducting a meta-analysis was not possible for a good number of SNPs. It is therefore unequivocal that the literature is crowded with numerous small candidate-gene studies and conflicting data.

This makes it particularly hard to detect novel SNPs and conduct meaningful meta-analyses.We found convincing evidence for 19 variants that indicated the strongest association with endometrial cancer, as shown in table 1. The associations between endometrial cancer and variants in or around HNF1B, CYP19A1, SOX4, MYC, KLF and EIF2AK found in earlier GWAS were then replicated in the latest and largest GWAS. These SNPs showed promising potential in a theoretical PRS we devised based on published data. Using all 24 or genome-wide significant SNPs only, women with a PRS in the top 1% of the distribution would be predicted to have a risk of endometrial cancer 3.16 and 2.09 times higher than the mean risk, respectively.However, the importance of these variants and relevance of the proximate genes in a functional or biological context is challenging to evaluate. Long distance promoter regulation by enhancers may disguise the genuine target gene.

In addition, enhancers often do not loop to the nearest gene, further complicating the relevance of nearby gene(s) to a GWAS hit. In order to elucidate biologically relevant candidate target genes in endometrial cancer, OâMara et al looked into promoter-associated chromatin looping using a modern HiChIP approach.47 The authors utilised normal and tumoural endometrial cell lines for this analysis which showed significant enrichment for endometrial cancer heritability, with 103 candidate target genes identified across the 13 risk loci identified by the largest ECAC GWAS. Notable genes identified here were CDKN2A and WT1, and their antisense counterparts. The former was reported to be nearby of rs1679014 and the latter of rs10835920, as shown in table 1. Moreover, of the 36 candidate target genes, 17 were found to be downregulated while 19 were upregulated in endometrial tumours.The authors also investigated overlap between the 13 endometrial cancer risk loci and top eQTL variants for each target gene.47 In whole blood, of the two particular lead SNPs, rs8822380 at 17q21.32 was a top eQTL for SNX11 and HOXB2, whereas rs937213 at 15q15.1 was a top eQTL for SRP14.

In endometrial tumour, rs7579014 at 2p16.1 was found to be a top eQTL for BCL11A. This is particularly interesting because BCL11A was the only nearby/candidate gene that had a GWAS association reported in both endometrioid and non-endometrioid subtypes. The study looked at proteinâprotein interactions between endometrial cancer drivers and candidate target gene products. Significant interactions were observed with TP53 (most significant), AKT, PTEN, ESR1 and KRAS, among others. Finally, when 103 target candidate genes and 387 proteins were combined together, 462 pathways were found to be significantly enriched.

Many of these are related to gene regulation, cancer, obesity, insulinaemia and oestrogen exposure. This study clearly showed a potential biological relevance for some of the SNPs reported by ECAC GWAS in 2018.Most of the larger included studies used cohorts primarily composed of women of broad European descent. Hence, there are negligible data available for other ethnicities, particularly African women. This is compounded by the lack of reference genotype data available for comparative analysis, making it harder for research to be conducted in ethnicities other than Europeans. This poses a problem for developing risk prediction models that are equally valuable and predictive across populations.

Thus, our results also are of limited applicability to non-European populations.Furthermore, considering that non-endometrioid cases comprise a small proportion (~20%) of all endometrial cancer cases, much larger cohort sizes are needed to detect any genuine signals for non-endometrioid tumours. Most of the evaluated studies looked at either overall/mixed endometrial cancer subtypes or endometrioid histology, and those that looked at variant associations with non-endometrioid histology were unlikely to have enough power to detect any signal with statistical significance. This is particularly concerning because non-endometrioid subtypes are biologically aggressive tumours with a much poorer prognosis that contribute disproportionately to mortality from endometrial cancer. It is particularly important that attempts to improve early detection and prevention of endometrial cancer focus primarily on improving outcomes from these subtypes. It is also worth noting that, despite the current shift towards a molecular classification of endometrial cancer, most studies used the overarching classical Bokhmanâs classification system, type I versus type II, or no histological classification system at all.

Therefore, it is important to create and follow a standardised and comprehensive classification system for reporting tumour subtypes for future studies.This study compiled and presented available information for an extensively studied, yet unproven in large datasets, SNP309 variant in MDM2. Currently, there is no convincing evidence for an association between this variant and endometrial cancer risk. Additionally, of all the studies, only one accounted for the opposing effect of a nearby variant SNP285 in their analyses. Thus, we conclude that until confirmed by a sufficiently large GWAS, this variant should not be considered significant in influencing the risk of endometrial cancer and therefore not included in a PRS. This is also true for the majority of the SNPs reported in candidate-gene studies, as the numbers fall far short of being able to detect genuine signals.This systematic review presents the most up-to-date evidence for endometrial cancer susceptibility variants, emphasising the need for further large-scale studies to identify more variants of importance, and validation of these associations.

Until data from larger and more diverse cohorts are available, the top 24 SNPs presented here are the most robust common genetic variants that affect endometrial cancer risk. The multiplicative effects of these SNPs could be used in a PRS to allow personalised risk prediction models to be developed for targeted screening and prevention interventions for women at greatest risk of endometrial cancer..

IntroductionIn recent years, many studies have been published on new diagnostic possibilities and management approaches in cohorts of patients suspected to have a disorder/difference of sex development (DSD).1â13 Based on these studies, it has become clear that services and institutions still differ in the composition of the multidisciplinary teams that provide care for where can i buy levitra patients who have a DSD.11 14 Several projects have now worked to resolve this variability in Cheap lumigan online canada care. The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (EU COST) action BM1303 where can i buy levitra âA systematic elucidation of differences of sex developmentâ has been a platform to achieve European agreement on harmonisation of clinical management and laboratory practices.15â17 Another such initiative involved an update of the 2006 DSD consensus document by an international group of professionals and patient representatives.18 These initiatives have highlighted how cultural and financial aspects and the availability of resources differ significantly between countries and societies, a situation that hampers supranational agreement on common diagnostic protocols. As only a few national guidelines have been published in international journals, comparison of these guidelines is difficult even though such a comparison is necessary to capture the differences and initiate actions to overcome them. Nonetheless, four DSD (expert) centres located in the Netherlands and Flanders (the Dutch-speaking Northern where can i buy levitra part of Belgium) have collaborated to produce a detailed guideline on diagnostics in DSD.19 This shows that a supranational guideline can be a reasonable approach for countries with similarly structured healthcare systems and similar resources.

Within the guideline there is agreement that optimisation of expertise and care can be achieved through centralisation, for example, by limiting analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic panels to only a few centres and by centralising pathological review of gonadal tissues. International networks such as the European Reference Network for rare endocrine conditions (EndoERN), in which DSD is embedded, may facilitate the expansion of this kind of collaboration across Europe.This paper highlights where can i buy levitra key discussion points in the Dutch-Flemish guideline that have been insufficiently addressed in the literature thus far because they reflect evolving technologies or less visible stakeholders. For example, prenatal observation of an atypical aspect of the genitalia indicating a possible DSD is becoming increasingly common, and we discuss appropriate counselling and a diagnostic approach for these cases, including the option of using NGS-based genetic testing. So far, little attention has been paid to this process.20 21 Furthermore, informing patients and/or their parents about atypical sex development and why this may warrant referral to a specialised team may be where can i buy levitra challenging, especially for professionals with limited experience in DSD.22 23 Therefore, a section of the Dutch-Flemish guideline was written for these healthcare providers.

Moreover, this enables DSD specialists to refer to the guideline when advising a referral. Transition from the prenatal to the postnatal team and from the where can i buy levitra paediatric to the adult team requires optimal communication between the specialists involved. Application of NGS-based techniques may lead to a higher diagnostic yield, providing a molecular genetic diagnosis in previously unsolved cases.16 We address the timing of this testing and the problems associated with this technique such as the interpretation of variants of unknown clinical significance (VUS). Similarly, histopathological interpretation and classification of removed gonadal tissue is challenging and would where can i buy levitra benefit from international collaboration and centralisation of expertise.MethodsFor the guideline revision, an interdisciplinary multicentre group was formed with all members responsible for updating the literature for a specific part of the guideline.

Literature search in PubMed was not systematic, but rather intended to be broad in order to cover all areas and follow expert opinions. This approach is more in line with the Clinical Practice Advisory Document method described by Burke et al24 for guidelines involving genetic practice because it is often troublesome to substantiate such guidelines with sufficient evidence due to the rapid changes in testing where can i buy levitra methods, for example, gene panels. All input provided by the group was synthesised by the chairperson (YvB), who also reviewed abstracts of papers on DSD published between 2010 and September 2017 for the guideline and up to October 2019 for this paper. Abstracts had to be written where can i buy levitra in English and were identified using a broad range of Medical Subject Headings terms (eg, DSD, genetic, review, diagnosis, diagnostics, 46,XX DSD, 46,XY DSD, guideline, multidisciplinary care).

Next, potentially relevant papers on diagnostic procedures in DSD were selected. Case reports were excluded, as were where can i buy levitra articles that were not open access or retrievable through institutional access. Based on this, a draft guideline was produced that was in line with the international principles of good diagnostic care in DSD. This draft was discussed by the writing where can i buy levitra committee and, after having obtained agreement on remaining points of discussion, revised into a final draft.

This version was sent to a broad group of professionals from academic centres and DSD teams whose members had volunteered to review the draft guideline. After receiving and incorporating their input, the final version was presented to the paediatric and genetic where can i buy levitra associations for approval. After approval by the members of the paediatric (NVK), clinical genetic (VKGN) and genetic laboratory (VKGL) associations, the guideline was published on their respective websites.19 Although Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome are considered to be part of the DSD spectrum, they are not extensively discussed in this diagnostic guideline as guidelines dedicated to these syndromes already exist.25 26 However, some individuals with Turner syndrome or Klinefelter syndrome may present with ambiguous or atypical genitalia and may therefore initially follow the DSD diagnostic process.Guideline highlightsPrenatal settingPresentationThe most frequent prenatal presentation of a DSD condition is atypical genitalia found on prenatal ultrasound as an isolated finding or in combination with other structural anomalies. This usually occurs after the 20-week routine medical ultrasound for screening of congenital anomalies, but may also occur earlier, for example, when a commercial ultrasound is performed at the request of the where can i buy levitra parents.Another way DSD can be diagnosed before birth is when invasive prenatal genetic testing carried out for a different reason, for example, due to suspicion of other structural anomalies, reveals a discrepancy between the genotypic sex and the phenotypic sex seen by ultrasound.

In certified laboratories, the possibility of a sample switch is extremely low but should be ruled out immediately. More often, the discrepancy will be due to sex-chromosome where can i buy levitra mosaicism or a true form of DSD.A situation now occurring with increasing frequency is a discrepancy between the genotypic sex revealed by non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which is now available to high-risk pregnant women in the Netherlands and to all pregnant women in Belgium, and later ultrasound findings. NIPT screens for CNVs in the fetus. However, depending on legal restrictions where can i buy levitra and/or ethical considerations, the X and Y chromosomes are not always included in NIPT analysis and reports.

If the X and Y chromosomes are included, it is important to realise that the presence of a Y-chromosome does not necessarily imply male fetal development. At the time that NIPT is performed (usually 11â13 weeks), genital development cannot be reliably appreciated by ultrasound, so any discrepancy or atypical aspect of the genitalia will only be where can i buy levitra noticed later in pregnancy and should prompt further evaluation.Counselling and diagnosticsIf a DSD is suspected, first-line sonographers and obstetricians should refer the couple to their colleague prenatal specialists working with or in a DSD team. After confirming an atypical genital on ultrasound, the specialist team should offer the couple a referral for genetic counselling to discuss the possibility of performing invasive prenatal testing (usually an amniocentesis) to identify an underlying cause that fits the ultrasound findings.22 23 To enable the parents to make a well-informed decision, prenatal counselling should, in our opinion, include. Information on where can i buy levitra the ultrasound findings and the limitations of this technique.

The procedure(s) that can be followed, including the risks associated with an amniocentesis. And the type of information genetic testing where can i buy levitra can and cannot provide. Knowing which information has been provided and what words have been used by the prenatal specialist is very helpful for those involved in postnatal care.It is important that parents understand that the biological sex of a baby is determined by a complex interplay of chromosomes, genes and hormones, and thus that assessment of the presence or absence of a Y-chromosome alone is insufficient to assign the sex of their unborn child or, as in any unborn child, say anything about the childâs future gender identity.Expecting parents can be counselled by the clinical geneticist and the psychologist from the DSD team, although other DSD specialists can also be involved. The clinical geneticist should be experienced in prenatal counselling and well informed about the diagnostic possibilities given the limited time span in which test results need to be available to allow where can i buy levitra parents to make a well-informed decision about whether or not to continue the pregnancy.

Termination of pregnancy can be considered, for instance, in a syndromic form of DSD with multiple malformations, but when the DSD occurs as an apparently isolated condition, expecting parents may also consider termination of pregnancy, which, although considered controversial by some, is legal in Belgium and the where can i buy levitra Netherlands. The psychologist of the DSD team can support parents during and after pregnancy and help them cope with feelings of uncertainty and eventual considerations of a termination of pregnancy, as well as with practical issues, for example, how to inform others. The stress of not knowing exactly what the childâs genitalia will look like and uncertainty about the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis cannot be where can i buy levitra avoided completely. Parents are informed that if the postnatal phenotype is different from what was prenatally expected, the advice given about diagnostic testing can be adjusted accordingly, for example, if a hypospadias is milder than was expected based on prenatal ultrasound images.

In our experience, parents where can i buy levitra appreciate having already spoken to some members of the DSD team during pregnancy and having a contact person before birth.After expert prenatal counselling, a significant number of pregnant couples decline prenatal testing (personal experience IALG, MK, ABD, YvB, MC and HC-vdG). At birth, umbilical cord blood is a good source for (molecular) karyotyping and storage of DNA and can be obtained by the obstetrician, midwife or neonatologist. The terminology used in communication with parents should be carefully chosen,22 23 and midwives and staff of neonatal and delivery units should where can i buy levitra be clearly instructed to use gender-neutral and non-stigmatising vocabulary (eg, âyour babyâ) as long as sex assignment is pending.An algorithm for diagnostic evaluation of a suspected DSD in the prenatal situation is proposed in figure 1. When couples opt for invasive prenatal diagnosis, the genetic analysis usually involves an (SNP)-array.

It was recently estimated that >30% of individuals who have a DSD have additional structural anomalies, with cardiac and neurological anomalies and fetal growth restriction being particularly common.27 28 If additional anomalies are seen, the geneticist can consider specific gene defects that may underlie a known genetic syndrome or carry out where can i buy levitra NGS. NGS-based techniques have also now made their appearance in prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies.29 30 Panels using these techniques can be specific for genes involved in DSD, or be larger panels covering multiple congenital anomalies, and are usually employed with trio-analysis to compare variants identified in the child with the parentsâ genetics.29â31 Finding a genetic cause before delivery can help reduce parental stress in the neonatal period and speed up decisions regarding gender assignment. In such cases there is no tight time limit, and we propose where can i buy levitra completing the analysis well before the expected delivery.Disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the prenatal setting. A diagnostic algorithm.

*SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!. Conventional karyotyping can be useful. NGS, next-generation sequencing." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 1 Disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the prenatal setting.

A diagnostic algorithm. *SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!. Conventional karyotyping can be useful.

NGS, next-generation sequencing.First contact by a professional less experienced in DSDWhereas most current guidelines start from the point when an individual has been referred to the DSD team,1 15 the Dutch-Flemish guideline dedicates a chapter to healthcare professionals less experienced in DSD as they are often the first to suspect or identify such a condition. Apart from the paper of Indyk,7 little guidance is available for these professionals about how to act in such a situation. The chapter in the Dutch-Flemish guideline summarises the various clinical presentations that a DSD can have and provides information on how to communicate with parents and/or patients about the findings of the physical examination, the first-line investigations and the need for prompt referral to a specialised centre for further evaluation. Clinical examples are offered to illustrate some of these recurring situations.

Publishing such a list, either in guidelines or online, can help healthcare professionals find the nearest centres for consultations and provide patients and patient organisations with an overview of the centres where expertise is available.Timing and place of genetic testing using NGS-based gene panelsThe diagnostic workup that is proposed for 46,XX and 46,XY DSD is shown in figures 2 and 3, respectively. Even with the rapidly expanding molecular possibilities, a (family) history and a physical examination remain the essential first steps in the diagnostic process. Biochemical and hormonal screening aim at investigating serum electrolytes, renal function and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. Ultrasound screening of kidneys and internal genitalia, as well as establishing genotypic sex, should be accomplished within 48âhours and complete the baseline diagnostic work-up of a child born with ambiguous genitalia.1 16 32 3346,XX disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting.

A diagnostic algorithm. NGS, next-generation sequencing. CAH, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. AMH, Anti-MÃ¼llerian Hormone." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 2 46,XX disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting.

A diagnostic algorithm. NGS, next-generation sequencing. CAH, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. AMH, Anti-MÃ¼llerian Hormone.46,XY disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) in the postnatal setting.

A diagnostic algorithm. * SOX9. Upstream anomalies and balanced translocations at promotor sites!. Conventional karyotyping can be useful.

Conventional karyotyping can be useful. NGS, next-generation sequencing.Very recently, a European position paper has been published focusing on the genetic workup of DSD.16 It highlights the limitations and drawbacks of NGS-based tests, which include the chance of missing subtle structural variants such as CNVs and mosaicism and the fact that NGS cannot detect methylation defects or other epigenetic changes.16 28 31 Targeted DNA analysis is preferred in cases where hormonal investigations suggest a block in steroidogenesis (eg, 11-Î²-hydroxylase deficiency, 21-hydroxylase deficiency), or in the context of a specific clinical constellation such as the often coincidental finding of MÃ¼llerian structures in a boy with normal external genitalia or cryptorchidism, that is, persistent MÃ¼llerian duct syndrome.33 34 Alternative tests should also be considered depending on the available information. Sometimes, a simple mouth swab for FISH analysis can detect mosaic XY/X in a male with hypospadias or asymmetric gonadal development or in a female with little or no Turner syndrome stigmata and a normal male molecular karyotyping profile or peripheral blood karyotype. Such targeted testing avoids incidental findings and is cheaper and faster than analysis of a large NGS-based panel, although the cost difference is rapidly declining.However, due to the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of DSD conditions, the most cost-effective next steps in the majority of cases are whole exome sequencing followed by panel analysis of genes involved in genital development and function or trio-analysis of a large gene panel (such as a Mendeliome).16 35â38 Pretest genetic counselling involves discussing what kind of information will be reported to patients or parents and the chance of detecting VUS, and the small risk of incidental findings when analysing a DSD panel should be mentioned.

Laboratories also differ in what class of variants they report.39 In our experience, the fear of incidental findings is a major reason why some parents refrain from genetic testing.Timing of the DSD gene panel analysis is also important. While some patients or parents prefer that all diagnostic procedures be performed as soon as possible, others need time to reflect on the complex information related to more extensive genetic testing and on its possible consequences. If parents or patients do not consent to panel-based genetic testing, analysis of specific genes, such as WT1, should be considered when appropriate in view of the clinical consequences if a mutation is present (eg, clinical surveillance of renal function and screening for Wilmsâ tumour in the case of WT1 mutations). Genes that are more frequently involved in DSD (eg, SRY, NR5A1) and that match the specific clinical and hormonal features in a given patient could also be considered for sequencing.

Targeted gene analysis may also be preferred in centres located in countries that do not have the resources or technical requirements to perform NGS panel-based genetic testing. Alternatively, participation by these centres in international collaborative networks may allow them to outsource the molecular genetic workup abroad.Gene panels differ between centres and are regularly updated based on scientific progress. A comparison of DSD gene panels used in recent studies can be found at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-018-0010-8%23Sec46.15 The panels currently used at the coauthorsâ institutions can be found on their respective websites. Given the pace of change, it is important to regularly consider repeating analysis in patients with an unexplained DSD, for example, when they transition into adult care or when they move from one centre to another.

This also applies to patients in whom a clinical diagnosis has never been genetically confirmed. Confusion may arise when the diagnosis cannot be confirmed or when a mutation is identified in a different gene, for example, NR5A1 in someone with a clinical diagnosis of CAIS that has other consequences for relatives. Hence, new genetic counselling should always accompany new diagnostic endeavours.Class 3 variants and histopathological examinationsThe rapidly evolving diagnostic possibilities raise new questions. What do laboratories report?.

This was recently demonstrated by the identification of the NR5A1 mutation, R92W, in individuals with 46,XX testicular and ovotesticular DSD.40 This gene had previously been associated with 46,XY DSD. In diagnostic laboratories, there is usually no capacity or expertise to conduct large-scale functional studies to determine pathogenicity of these unique class 3 VUS in the different genes involved in DSD. Functional validation of variants identified in novel genes may be more attractive in a research context. However, for individual families with VUS in well-established DSD genes such as AR or HSD17B3, functional analysis may provide a confirmed diagnosis that implies for relatives the option of undergoing their own DNA analysis and estimating the genetic risk of their own future offspring.

This makes genetic follow-up important in these cases and demonstrates the usefulness of international databases and networks and the centralisation of functional studies of genetic variants in order to reduce costs and maximise expertise.The same is true for histopathological description, germ-cell tumour risk assessment in specific forms of DSD and classification of gonadal samples. Germ-cell tumour risk is related to the type of DSD (among other factors), but it is impossible to make risk estimates in individual cases.41â44 Gonadectomy may be indicated in cases with high-risk dysgenetic abdominal gonads that cannot be brought into a stable superficial (ie, inguinal, labioscrotal) position that allows clinical or radiological surveillance, or to avoid virilisation due to 5-alpha reductase deficiency in a 46,XY girl with a stable female gender identity.45 Pathological examination of DSD gonads requires specific expertise. For example, the differentiation between benign germ cell abnormalities, such as delayed maturation and (pre)malignant development of germ cells, is crucial for clinical management but can be very troublesome.46 Centralised pathological examination of gonadal biopsy and gonadectomy samples in one centre, or a restricted number of centres, on a national scale can help to overcome the problem of non-uniform classification and has proven feasible in the Netherlands and Belgium. We therefore believe that uniform assessment and classification of gonadal differentiation patterns should also be addressed in guidelines on DSD management.International databases of gonadal tissues are crucial for learning more about the risk of malignancy in different forms of DSD, but they are only reliable if uniform criteria for histological classification are strictly applied.46 These criteria could be incorporated in many existing networks such as the I-DSD consortium, the Disorders of Sex Development Translational Research Network, the European Reference Network on Urogenital Diseases (eUROGEN), the EndoERN and COST actions.15â17 47Communication at the transition from paediatric to adult carePaediatric and adult teams need to collaborate closely to facilitate a well-organised transition from paediatric to adult specialist care.15 48â50 Both teams need to exchange information optimally and should consider transition as a longitudinal process rather than a fixed moment in time.

Age-appropriate information is key at all ages, and an overview of topics to be discussed at each stage is described by Cools et al.15 Table 1 shows an example of how transition can be organised.View this table:Table 1 Example of transition table as used in the DSD clinic of the Erasmus Medical CenterPsychological support and the continued provision of information remains important for individuals with a DSD at all ages.15 22 In addition to the information given by the DSD team members, families and patients can benefit from resources such as support groups and information available on the internet.47 Information available online should be checked for accuracy and completeness when referring patients and parents to internet sites.Recommendations for future actionsMost guidelines and articles on the diagnosis and management of DSD are aimed at specialists and are only published in specialist journals or on websites for endocrinologists, urologists or geneticists. Yet there is a need for guidelines directed towards first-line and second-line healthcare workers that summarise the recommendations about the first crucial steps in the management of DSD. These should be published in widely available general medical journals and online, along with a national list of DSD centres. Furthermore, DSD (expert) centres should provide continuous education to all those who may be involved in the identification of individuals with a DSD in order to enable these healthcare professionals to recognise atypical genitalia, to promptly refer individuals who have a DSD and to inform the patient and parents about this and subsequent diagnostic procedures.As DSD continues to be a rare condition, it will take time to evaluate the effects of having such a guideline on the preparedness of first-line and second-line healthcare workers to recognise DSD conditions.

One way to evaluate this might be the development and use of questionnaires asking patients, carers and families and referring physicians how satisfied they were with the initial medical consultation and referral and what could be improved. A helpful addition to existing international databases that collect information on genetic variations would be a list of centres that offer suitable functional studies for certain genes, ideally covering the most frequently mutated genes (at minimum).Patient organisations can also play an important role in informing patients about newly available diagnostic or therapeutic strategies and options, and their influence and specific role has now been recognised and discussed in several publications.17 47 However, it should be kept in mind that these organisations do not represent all patients, as a substantial number of patients and parents are not member of such an organisation.Professionals have to provide optimal medical care based on well-established evidence, or at least on broad consensus. Yet not everything can be regulated by recommendations and guidelines. Options, ideas and wishes should be openly discussed between professionals, patients and families within their confidential relationship.

Guidelines can provide a framework within which individualised patient care should be discussed with all stakeholders.AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank the colleagues of the DSD teams for their input in and critical reading of the Dutch-Flemish guideline. Amsterdam University Center (AMC and VU), Maastricht University Medical Center, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Medical Center Utrecht, Ghent University Hospital. The authors would like to thank Kate McIntyre for editing the revised manuscript and Tom de Vries Lentsch for providing the figures as a PDF. Three of the authors of this publication are members of the European Reference Network for rare endocrine diseasesâProject ID 739543.IntroductionEndometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological malignancy in the developed world.1 Its incidence has risen over the last two decades as a consequence of the ageing population, fewer hysterectomies for benign disease and the obesity epidemic.

In the USA, it is estimated that women have a 1 in 35 lifetime risk of endometrial cancer, and in contrast to cancers of most other sites, cancer-specific mortality has risen by approximately 2% every year since 2008 related to the rapidly rising incidence.2Endometrial cancer has traditionally been classified into type I and type II based on morphology.3 The more common subtype, type I, is mostly comprised of endometrioid tumours and is oestrogen-driven, arises from a hyperplastic endometrium, presents at an early stage and has an excellent 5âyear survival rate.4 By contrast, type II includes non-endometrioid tumours, specifically serous, carcinosarcoma and clear cell subtypes, which are biologically aggressive tumours with a poor prognosis that are often diagnosed at an advanced stage.5 Recent efforts have focused on a molecular classification system for more accurate categorisation of endometrial tumours into four groups with distinct prognostic profiles.6 7The majority of endometrial cancers arise through the interplay of familial, genetic and lifestyle factors. Two inherited cancer predisposition syndromes, Lynch syndrome and the much rarer Cowden syndrome, substantially increase the lifetime risk of endometrial cancer, but these only account for around 3â5% of cases.8â10 Having first or second degree relative(s) with endometrial or colorectal cancer increases endometrial cancer risk, although a large European twin study failed to demonstrate a strong heritable link.11 The authors failed to show that there was greater concordance in monozygotic than dizygotic twins, but the study was based on relatively small numbers of endometrial cancers. Lu and colleagues reported an association between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and endometrial cancer risk, revealing the potential role of SNPs in explaining part of the risk in both the familial and general populations.12 Thus far, many SNPs have been reported to modify susceptibility to endometrial cancer. However, much of this work predated genome wide association studies and is of variable quality.

Understanding genetic predisposition to endometrial cancer could facilitate personalised risk assessment with a view to targeted prevention and screening interventions.13 This emerged as the most important unanswered research question in endometrial cancer according to patients, carers and healthcare professionals in our recently completed James Lind Womb Cancer Alliance Priority Setting Partnership.14 It would be particularly useful for non-endometrioid endometrial cancers, for which advancing age is so far the only predictor.15We therefore conducted a comprehensive systematic review of the literature to provide an overview of the relationship between SNPs and endometrial cancer risk. We compiled a list of the most robust endometrial cancer-associated SNPs. We assessed the applicability of this panel of SNPs with a theoretical polygenic risk score (PRS) calculation. We also critically appraised the meta-analyses investigating the most frequently reported SNPs in MDM2.

Finally, we described all SNPs reported within genes and pathways that are likely involved in endometrial carcinogenesis and metastasis.MethodsOur systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) collaboration 2009 recommendations. The registered protocol is available through PROSPERO (CRD42018091907).16Search strategyWe searched Embase, MEDLINE and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases via the Healthcare Databases Advanced Search (HDAS) platform, from 2007 to 2018, to identify studies reporting associations between polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk. Key words including MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms and free-text words were searched in both titles and abstracts. The following terms were used.

Chronbachâs Î± score was calculated between reviewers and indicated high consistency at 0.92. Caseâcontrol, prospective and retrospective studies, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and both discovery and validation studies were selected for full-text evaluation. Non-English articles, editorials, conference abstracts and proceedings, letters and correspondence, case reports and review articles were excluded.Candidate-gene studies with at least 100 women and GWAS with at least 1000 women in the case arm were selected to ensure reliability of the results, as explained by Spencer et al.18 To construct a panel of up to 30 SNPs with the strongest evidence of association, those with the strongest p values were selected. For the purpose of an SNP panel, articles utilising broad European or multi-ethnic cohorts were selected.

Where overlapping populations were identified, the most comprehensive study was included.Data extraction and synthesisFor each study, the following data were extracted. SNP ID, nearby gene(s)/chromosome location, OR (95%âCI), p value, minor or effect allele frequency (MAF/EAF), EA (effect allele) and OA (other allele), adjustment, ethnicity and ancestry, number of cases and controls, endometrial cancer type, and study type including discovery or validation study and meta-analysis. For risk estimates, a preference towards most adjusted results was applied. For candidate-gene studies, a standard p value of<0.05 was applied and for GWAS a p value of <5Ã10-8, indicating genome-wide significance, was accepted as statistically significant.

However, due to the limited number of SNPs with p values reaching genome-wide significance, this threshold was then lowered to <1Ã10-5, allowing for marginally significant SNPs to be included. As shown by Mavaddat et al, for breast cancer, SNPs that fall below genome-wide significance may still be useful for generating a PRS and improving the models.19We estimated the potential value of a PRS based on the most significant SNPs by comparing the predicted risk for a woman with a risk score in the top 1% of the distribution to the mean predicted risk. Per-allele ORs and MAFs were taken from the publications and standard errors (SEs) for the lnORs were derived from published 95% CIs. The PRS was assumed to have a Normal distribution, with mean 2âÎ²ipI and SE, Ï, equal to â2âÎ²i2pI(1âpi), according to the binomial distribution, where the summation is over all SNPs in the risk score.

Hence the relative risk (RR) comparing the top 1% of the distribution to the mean is given by exp(Z0.01Ï), where Z is the inverse of the standard normal cumulative distribution.ResultsThe flow chart of study selection is illustrated in figure 1. In total, 453 text articles were evaluated and, of those, 149 articles met our inclusion criteria. One study was excluded from table 1, for having an Asian-only population, as this would make it harder to compare with the rest of the results which were all either multi-ethnic or Caucasian cohorts, as stated in our inclusion criteria for the SNP panel.20 Any SNPs without 95% CIs were also excluded from any downstream analysis. Additionally, SNPs in linkage disequilibrium (r2 >0.2) with each other were examined, and of those in linkage disequilibrium, the SNP with strongest association was reported.

Adapted from. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The PRISMA Statement.

PLoS Med 6(6). E1000097. Doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097." data-icon-position data-hide-link-title="0">Figure 1 Study selection flow diagram. *Reasons.

Irrelevant articles, articles focusing on other conditions, non-GWAS/candidate-gene study related articles, technical and duplicate articles. GWAS, genome-wide association study. Adapted from. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009).

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(6). E1000097.

Those having a multi-ethnic cohort also consisted primarily of broad European populations. Only four of the variants in table 1 are located in coding regions of a gene, or in regulatory flanking regions around the gene. Thus, most of these variants would not be expected to cause any functional effects on the gene or the resulting protein. An eQTL search using GTEx Portal showed that some of the SNPs are significantly associated (p<0.05) with modified transcription levels of the respective genes in various tissues such as prostate (rs11263761), thyroid (rs9668337), pituitary (rs2747716), breast mammary (rs882380) and testicular (rs2498794) tissue, as summarised in table 2.View this table:Table 2 List of eQTL hits for the selected panel of SNPsThe only variant for which there was an indication of a specific association with non-endometrioid endometrial cancer was rs148261157 near the BCL11A gene.

The A allele of this SNP had a moderately higher association in the non-endometrioid arm (OR 1.64, 95%âCI 1.32 to 2.04. P=9.6Ã10-6) compared with the endometrioid arm (OR 1.25, 95%âCI 1.14 to 1.38. P=4.7Ã10-6).21Oestrogen receptors Î± and Î² encoded by ESR1 and ESR2, respectively, have been extensively studied due to the assumed role of oestrogens in the development of endometrial cancer. OâMara et al reported a lead SNP (rs79575945) in the ESR1 region that was associated with endometrial cancer (p=1.86Ã10-5).24 However, this SNP did not reach genome-wide significance in a more recent larger GWAS.21 No statistically significant associations have been reported between endometrial cancer and SNPs in the ESR2 gene region.AKT is an oncogene linked to endometrial carcinogenesis.

It is involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pro-proliferative signalling pathway to inactivate apoptosis and allow cell survival. The A allele of rs2494737 and G allele of rs2498796 were reported to be associated with increased and decreased risk of endometrial cancer in 2016, respectively.22 30 However, this association was not replicated in a larger GWAS in 2018.21 Nevertheless, given the previous strong indications, and biological basis that could explain endometrial carcinogenesis, we decided to include an AKT1 variant (rs2498794) in our results.PTEN is a multi-functional tumour suppressor gene that regulates the AKT/PKB signalling pathway and is commonly mutated in many cancers including endometrial cancer.32 Loss-of-function germline mutations in PTEN are responsible for Cowden syndrome, which exerts a lifetime risk of endometrial cancer of up to 28%.9 Lacey and colleagues studied SNPs in the PTEN gene region. However, none showed significant differences in frequency between 447 endometrial cancer cases and 439 controls of European ancestry.33KRAS mutations are known to be present in endometrial cancer. These can be activated by high levels of KLF5 (transcriptional activator).

Three SNPs have been identified in or around KLF5 that are associated with endometrial cancer. The G allele of rs11841589 (OR 1.15, 95%âCI 1.11 to 1.21. P=4.83Ã10-11), the A allele of rs9600103 (OR 1.23, 95%âCI 1.16 to 1.30. P=3.76Ã10-12) and C allele of rs7981863 (OR 1.16, 95%âCI 1.12 to 1.20.

Two more original studies were identified through our full-text evaluation. However, these were not included here as they did not meet our inclusion criteriaâone due to small sample size, the other due to studying rs2279744 status dependent on another SNP.36 37 Even so, the two studies were described in multiple meta-analyses that are listed in table 3. Different permutations of these eight original studies appear in at least eight published meta-analyses. However, even the largest meta-analysis contained <2000 cases (table 3)38View this table:Table 3 Characteristics of studies that examined MDM2 SNP rs2279744In comparison, a GWAS including nearly 13â000 cases found no evidence of an association with OR and corresponding 95% CI of 1.00 (0.97 to 1.03) and a p value of 0.93 (personal communication).21 Nevertheless, we cannot completely rule out a role for MDM2 variants in endometrial cancer predisposition as the candidate-gene studies reported larger effects in Asians, whereas the GWAS primarily contained participants of European ancestry.

There is also some suggestion that the SNP309 variant is in linkage disequilibrium with another variant, SNP285, which confers an opposite effect.It is worth noting that the SNP285C/SNP309G haplotype frequency was observed in up to 8% of Europeans, thus requiring correction for the confounding effect of SNP285C in European studies.39 However, aside from one study conducted by Knappskog et al, no other study including the meta-analyses corrected for the confounding effect of SNP285.40 Among the studies presented in table 3, Knappskog et al (2012) reported that after correcting for SNP285, the OR for association of this haplotype with endometrial cancer was much lower, though still significant. Unfortunately, the meta-analyses which synthesised Knappskog et al (2012), as part of their analysis, did not correct for SNP285C in the European-based studies they included.38 41 42 It is also concerning that two meta-analyses using the same primary articles failed to report the same result, in two instances.38 42â44DiscussionThis article represents the most comprehensive systematic review to date, regarding critical appraisal of the available evidence of common low-penetrance variants implicated in predisposition to endometrial cancer. We have identified the most robust SNPs in the context of endometrial cancer risk. Of those, only 19 were significant at genome-wide level and a further five were considered marginally significant.

The largest GWAS conducted in this field was the discovery- and meta-GWAS by OâMara et al, which utilised 12â096 cases and 108â979 controls.21 Despite the inclusion of all published GWAS and around 5000 newly genotyped cases, the total number did not reach anywhere near what is currently available for other common cancers such as breast cancer. For instance, BCAC (Breast Cancer Association Consortium) stands at well over 200â000 individuals with more than half being cases, and resulted in identification of ~170âSNPs in relation to breast cancer.19 45 A total of 313 SNPs including imputations were then used to derive a PRS for breast cancer.19 Therefore, further efforts should be directed to recruit more patients, with deep phenotypic clinical data to allow for relevant adjustments and subgroup analyses to be conducted for better precision.A recent pre-print study by Zhang and colleagues examined the polygenicity and potential for SNP-based risk prediction for 14 common cancers, including endometrial cancer, using available summary-level data from European-ancestry datasets.46 They estimated that there are just over 1000 independent endometrial cancer susceptibility SNPs, and that a PRS comprising all such SNPs would have an area under the receiver-operator curve of 0.64, similar to that predicted for ovarian cancer, but lower than that for the other cancers in the study. The modelling in the paper suggests that an endometrial cancer GWAS double the size of the current largest study would be able to identify susceptibility SNPs together explaining 40% of the genetic variance, but that in order to explain 75% of the genetic variance it would be necessary to have a GWAS comprising close to 150â000 cases and controls, far in excess of what is currently feasible.We found that the literature consists mainly of candidate-gene studies with small sample sizes, meta-analyses reporting conflicting results despite using the same set of primary articles, and multiple reports of significant SNPs that have not been validated by any larger GWAS. The candidate-gene studies were indeed the most useful and cheaper technique available until the mid to late 2000s.

However, a lack of reproducibility (particularly due to population stratification and reporting bias), uncertainty of reported associations, and considerably high false discovery rates make these studies much less appropriate in the post-GWAS era. Unlike the candidate-gene approach, GWAS do not require prior knowledge, selection of genes or SNPs, and provide vast amounts of data. Furthermore, both the genotyping process and data analysis phases have become cheaper, the latter particularly due to faster and open-access pre-phasing and imputation tools being made available.It is clear from table 1 that some SNPs were reported with wide 95%âCI, which can be directly attributed to small sample sizes particularly when restricting the cases to non-endometrioid histology only, low EAF or poor imputation quality. Thus, these should be interpreted with caution.

It is therefore unequivocal that the literature is crowded with numerous small candidate-gene studies and conflicting data. This makes it particularly hard to detect novel SNPs and conduct meaningful meta-analyses.We found convincing evidence for 19 variants that indicated the strongest association with endometrial cancer, as shown in table 1. The associations between endometrial cancer and variants in or around HNF1B, CYP19A1, SOX4, MYC, KLF and EIF2AK found in earlier GWAS were then replicated in the latest and largest GWAS. These SNPs showed promising potential in a theoretical PRS we devised based on published data.

Using all 24 or genome-wide significant SNPs only, women with a PRS in the top 1% of the distribution would be predicted to have a risk of endometrial cancer 3.16 and 2.09 times higher than the mean risk, respectively.However, the importance of these variants and relevance of the proximate genes in a functional or biological context is challenging to evaluate. Long distance promoter regulation by enhancers may disguise the genuine target gene. In addition, enhancers often do not loop to the nearest gene, further complicating the relevance of nearby gene(s) to a GWAS hit. In order to elucidate biologically relevant candidate target genes in endometrial cancer, OâMara et al looked into promoter-associated chromatin looping using a modern HiChIP approach.47 The authors utilised normal and tumoural endometrial cell lines for this analysis which showed significant enrichment for endometrial cancer heritability, with 103 candidate target genes identified across the 13 risk loci identified by the largest ECAC GWAS.

Notable genes identified here were CDKN2A and WT1, and their antisense counterparts. The former was reported to be nearby of rs1679014 and the latter of rs10835920, as shown in table 1. Moreover, of the 36 candidate target genes, 17 were found to be downregulated while 19 were upregulated in endometrial tumours.The authors also investigated overlap between the 13 endometrial cancer risk loci and top eQTL variants for each target gene.47 In whole blood, of the two particular lead SNPs, rs8822380 at 17q21.32 was a top eQTL for SNX11 and HOXB2, whereas rs937213 at 15q15.1 was a top eQTL for SRP14. In endometrial tumour, rs7579014 at 2p16.1 was found to be a top eQTL for BCL11A.

This is particularly interesting because BCL11A was the only nearby/candidate gene that had a GWAS association reported in both endometrioid and non-endometrioid subtypes. The study looked at proteinâprotein interactions between endometrial cancer drivers and candidate target gene products. Significant interactions were observed with TP53 (most significant), AKT, PTEN, ESR1 and KRAS, among others. Finally, when 103 target candidate genes and 387 proteins were combined together, 462 pathways were found to be significantly enriched.

This poses a problem for developing risk prediction models that are equally valuable and predictive across populations. Thus, our results also are of limited applicability to non-European populations.Furthermore, considering that non-endometrioid cases comprise a small proportion (~20%) of all endometrial cancer cases, much larger cohort sizes are needed to detect any genuine signals for non-endometrioid tumours. Most of the evaluated studies looked at either overall/mixed endometrial cancer subtypes or endometrioid histology, and those that looked at variant associations with non-endometrioid histology were unlikely to have enough power to detect any signal with statistical significance. This is particularly concerning because non-endometrioid subtypes are biologically aggressive tumours with a much poorer prognosis that contribute disproportionately to mortality from endometrial cancer.

It is particularly important that attempts to improve early detection and prevention of endometrial cancer focus primarily on improving outcomes from these subtypes. It is also worth noting that, despite the current shift towards a molecular classification of endometrial cancer, most studies used the overarching classical Bokhmanâs classification system, type I versus type II, or no histological classification system at all. Therefore, it is important to create and follow a standardised and comprehensive classification system for reporting tumour subtypes for future studies.This study compiled and presented available information for an extensively studied, yet unproven in large datasets, SNP309 variant in MDM2. Currently, there is no convincing evidence for an association between this variant and endometrial cancer risk.

Additionally, of all the studies, only one accounted for the opposing effect of a nearby variant SNP285 in their analyses. Thus, we conclude that until confirmed by a sufficiently large GWAS, this variant should not be considered significant in influencing the risk of endometrial cancer and therefore not included in a PRS. This is also true for the majority of the SNPs reported in candidate-gene studies, as the numbers fall far short of being able to detect genuine signals.This systematic review presents the most up-to-date evidence for endometrial cancer susceptibility variants, emphasising the need for further large-scale studies to identify more variants of importance, and validation of these associations. Until data from larger and more diverse cohorts are available, the top 24 SNPs presented here are the most robust common genetic variants that affect endometrial cancer risk.

The multiplicative effects of these SNPs could be used in a PRS to allow personalised risk prediction models to be developed for targeted screening and prevention interventions for women at greatest risk of endometrial cancer..

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A collaborative effort through the Alliance for Better Health distributed Kinsa Health thermometers during the levitra to community-based organizations and their members. And Fitbit is awarding up to $500,000 in products and services to early-career researchers improving health care access for underserved populations.advertisement But private sector action where can i buy levitra is only part of the solution. Collaboration between business and government is needed at every level of American health care. Thatâs why the Consumer Technology Association, which I lead, has developed new recommendations to make digital health care more accessible for all Americans. These include where can i buy levitra the following strategies:Lawmakers at the federal and state level should expand broadband coverage to reach rural and underserved areas.

Telehealth can connect providers with patients for both urgent and routine care, which can improve patient satisfaction, increase access to specialist care, and decrease reliance on emergency departments. The infrastructure bill passed last week â which includes $42 billion in federal funding marked for broadband expansion and $14.2 billion to help low-income Americans afford broadband service â can help this effort. But the devil is in the details, and the administration will need to ensure the funds are used effectively and transparently. Related. Remote monitoring is rapidly growing â and a new class of patient-consumer is driving the shift Congress should also make permanent certain Medicare telehealth erectile dysfunction treatment public health emergency waivers and flexible policies.

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See page F474The cost of neonatal abstinence syndromePhilippa Rees and colleagues estimated the direct NHS costs of neonatal unit in-patient care for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in England between 2012 and 2017 using the National Neonatal Research Database. There were 6411 admissions with http://www.edwardandsons.org/?p=2106 this diagnosis during the study period (1.6 per 1000 births) and the levitra online shop incidence increased over time. The direct annual cost of care was Â£10 440 444, with a median cost of Â£7715 per infant. The median time to discharge was 10.2âdays and this was higher in the 49% levitra online shop of infants receiving pharmacotherapy. The emerging literature suggests that changes in the model of care away from neonatal unit admission could improve patient outcomes and greatly reduce costs.

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They identified five randomised controlled trials involving 873 infants. There was no difference in mortality levitra online shop between devices. Confidence intervals for most outcomes were wide indicating the need for more data. Difference in rates of intubation in the delivery room and need for chest compressions during initial stabilisation suggest that more data may uncover clinically important differences. It will levitra online shop be interesting to see how this meta-analysis changes after inclusion of data from the recently completed CORSAD trial.

See page F561Ethics statementsPatient consent for publicationNot required.Clinical scenarioâSarah is a baby girl born by an emergency caesarean section following a period of observation for non-reassuring cardiotocographic recordings. She was initially âflatâ and received levitra online shop positive pressure ventilation for 3âmin before establishing spontaneous breathing. Her Apgar scores were 1, 6 and 8 at 1, 5 and 10âmin, respectively. Cord pH was 7.08 and standard base excess (sBE) was â12.1. Sarah stayed with her mother as levitra online shop she was breathing normally and centrally pink despite being mildly hypotonic with minimal activity.

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Newborns who had lower levels of risk were pragmatically excluded. Now that the evidence for benefit is well established,1 4 we propose that those entry points â¦.

Therapeutic creep in provision of hypothermia for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathyThree articles relate to the changing practices of UK clinicians in the where can i buy levitra provision of therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Lori Hage and colleagues report the clinical characteristics of term born infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia for a diagnosis of HIE in the UK between 2010 and 2017. The data came from where can i buy levitra the National Neonatal Research Database and include infants who were treated for 3âdays or who died during this period. There were 5201 infants who met this definition.

The number of infants treated increased year on year until 2015 and then levelled out. Markers of condition at where can i buy levitra birth suggested inclusion over time of greater numbers of infants with less severe disease. The number of infants treated with a diagnosis of mild encephalopathy increased four-fold from 31 infants per year to 133 infants per year over the study period. There was no important change in where can i buy levitra the number of infants treated with severe encephalopathy over the same time period.

Lara Shipley and colleagues report temporal changes in the incidence of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in the UK between the time periods 2011â13 and 2014â16. The incidence of mild and of moderate or severe HIE remained stable between epochs suggesting that there has not been diagnostic creep driving the therapeutic creep. The proportion of where can i buy levitra infants with mild HIE who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia significantly increased over time between 2011â2013 (24.9%) and 2014â2016 (35.8%). The number of late preterm infants diagnosed with HIE also remained stable over time but again the proportion treated with hypothermia increased from 34% to 47%.

This therapeutic creep, where larger numbers of infants are cooled who do not fulfil the criteria used to select infants for enrolment in the randomised controlled trials has been observed in other health systems. On the one hand it represents invasive treatment that is not well supported by the where can i buy levitra evidence base. Further trials are called for to determine whether hypothermia is beneficial in milder cases. The authors also point out that there is some is some subjectivity in the assessment of encephalopathy meaning that some clinicians don't cool borderline infants where others would where can i buy levitra classify them with more severe encephalopathy.

Unrelated to these articles but on the same theme we received a viewpoint from Mohamed Ali Tagin and Alastair Gunn. They argue that the criteria used to select infants for the trials were deliberately biased towards selecting infants at highest risk (and by inference not likely to have selected all infants that stand to benefit). The individual components of the inclusion where can i buy levitra criteria perform poorly and are subjective. They encourage clinicians in doubt about whether an infant should be cooled to choose cooling because there is still an appreciable risk of adverse outcome and the treatment can be delivered safely, so that the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms.

They argue that the limitations of the evidence should be discussed with where can i buy levitra the families involved. Perhaps therapeutic creep will push the trials out of reach. When new treatments are shown to be effective it is understandable that clinicians are keen to use them and this makes research more difficult before we know everything we want to know. This again is a situation that would become less likely if we continue to where can i buy levitra work towards inclusive research models normalising routine involvement in enhancing the knowledge base.

See pages F529, F501 and F458Methods for surfactant administrationA network meta-analysis by Ioannis Bellos and colleagues of 16 RCTs and 20 observational studies including data from more than 13â000 infants, suggests that thin catheter administration of surfactant is associated with lower rates of mortality, PVL, BPD and mechanical ventilation. See page F474The cost of neonatal abstinence syndromePhilippa Rees and colleagues estimated the direct NHS costs of neonatal unit in-patient care for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in England between 2012 and 2017 using the National Neonatal Research Database. There were 6411 admissions with this diagnosis during the study period (1.6 where can i buy levitra per 1000 births) and the incidence increased over time. The direct annual cost of care was Â£10 440 444, with a median cost of Â£7715 per infant.

The median where can i buy levitra time to discharge was 10.2âdays and this was higher in the 49% of infants receiving pharmacotherapy. The emerging literature suggests that changes in the model of care away from neonatal unit admission could improve patient outcomes and greatly reduce costs. See page F494Measurement of the effect of chest compressionsResuscitation council guidance advises on the depth of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the newborn. Although it makes sense that compression depth is important this is based on indirect where can i buy levitra information and extrapolation.

Marlies Bruckner and colleagues developed an automated device that could deliver controlled compression depth and investigated its effect on piglets with experimental asphyxia to asystole. Compression depth made an important difference to carotid blood flow and systolic where can i buy levitra blood pressure. See page F553Face mask versus nasal prong or nasopharyngeal tube for neonatal resuscitation in the delivery roomAvneet Magnat and colleagues performed a systematic review of evidence relating to the best interface for providing respiratory support in the delivery room. They identified five randomised controlled trials involving 873 infants.

There was where can i buy levitra no difference in mortality between devices. Confidence intervals for most outcomes were wide indicating the need for more data. Difference in rates of intubation in the delivery room and need for chest compressions during initial stabilisation suggest that more data may uncover clinically important differences. It will be interesting to see how this meta-analysis changes where can i buy levitra after inclusion of data from the recently completed CORSAD trial.

See page F561Ethics statementsPatient consent for publicationNot required.Clinical scenarioâSarah is a baby girl born by an emergency caesarean section following a period of observation for non-reassuring cardiotocographic recordings. She was where can i buy levitra initially âflatâ and received positive pressure ventilation for 3âmin before establishing spontaneous breathing. Her Apgar scores were 1, 6 and 8 at 1, 5 and 10âmin, respectively. Cord pH was 7.08 and standard base excess (sBE) was â12.1.

Sarah stayed with her mother as she was breathing normally and centrally where can i buy levitra pink despite being mildly hypotonic with minimal activity. At 10 hours of age, she started to develop recurrent seizures. Cerebral MRI showed extensive diffusion restriction patterns compatible with acute hypoxicâischaemic insult.âSarah is a composite case, developed to include real events that we and where can i buy levitra others have observed. Unfortunately, many neonatal units receive similar cases every year and they often end up not offering therapeutic hypothermia, the only available treatment with proven safety and efficacy to this condition.1 The current guidelines are not inclusive and do not consider borderline cases.2 3The simple question clinicians should ask themselves, is it unreasonable to treat a newborn with perinatal asphyxia and moderate encephalopathy?.

Babies, in a situation like Sarah, may lose the opportunity to be treated with therapeutic hypothermia because they miss a single criterion from the current cooling guidelines. The selection where can i buy levitra criteria in the initial randomised controlled trials of hypothermia were developed to identify the highest risk newborns who had been exposed to hypoxiaâischaemia. Newborns who had lower levels of risk were pragmatically excluded. Now that the evidence for benefit is well established,1 4 we propose that those entry points â¦.

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