Heidi Splete

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there. The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms. But if this theory was correct, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and GI problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University, New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who weren't autistic. All the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers found trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child. Autism diagnoses were confirmed by child neurologists, psychiatrists, or developmental pediatricians.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively, and the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively.

A total of 12 of the 25 autistic children (48%) received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 controls (23%). But this difference was not statistically significant. Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. By contrast, children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi square analysis “indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction,” Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

“If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset,” the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was “inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism,” they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and GI problems specifically to assess links to vaccines.

The characteristics of GI problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed to determine any relationships between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Hornig stated that she had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there. The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms. But if this theory was correct, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and GI problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University, New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who weren't autistic. All the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers found trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child. Autism diagnoses were confirmed by child neurologists, psychiatrists, or developmental pediatricians.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively, and the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively.

A total of 12 of the 25 autistic children (48%) received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 controls (23%). But this difference was not statistically significant. Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. By contrast, children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi square analysis “indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction,” Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

“If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset,” the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was “inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism,” they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and GI problems specifically to assess links to vaccines.

The characteristics of GI problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed to determine any relationships between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Hornig stated that she had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there. The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms. But if this theory was correct, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and GI problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University, New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who weren't autistic. All the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers found trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child. Autism diagnoses were confirmed by child neurologists, psychiatrists, or developmental pediatricians.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively, and the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively.

A total of 12 of the 25 autistic children (48%) received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 controls (23%). But this difference was not statistically significant. Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. By contrast, children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi square analysis “indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction,” Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

“If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset,” the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was “inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism,” they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and GI problems specifically to assess links to vaccines.

The characteristics of GI problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed to determine any relationships between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Hornig stated that she had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children who were aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies taken from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there.

The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms.

If this theory was correct, however, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and gastrointestinal problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University in New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found that there were no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who were not autistic.

All of the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers detected trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively; the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively. A total of 12 of the 25 (48%) autistic children had received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 (23%) controls. But this difference was not statistically significant.

Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. Children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi-square analysis "indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction," Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

"If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset," the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was "inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism," they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and gastrointestinal problems specifically to assess links to vaccines. The characteristics of gastrointestinal problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed, Dr. Hornig and associates added.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hornig disclosed no financial conflicts.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children who were aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies taken from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there.

The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms.

If this theory was correct, however, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and gastrointestinal problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University in New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found that there were no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who were not autistic.

All of the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers detected trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively; the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively. A total of 12 of the 25 (48%) autistic children had received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 (23%) controls. But this difference was not statistically significant.

Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. Children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi-square analysis "indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction," Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

"If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset," the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was "inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism," they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and gastrointestinal problems specifically to assess links to vaccines. The characteristics of gastrointestinal problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed, Dr. Hornig and associates added.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hornig disclosed no financial conflicts.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children who were aged 3–10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls.

These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which traces of the measles virus were found in biopsies taken from the bowel tissue of children with autism. The data from the 2002 study suggested that the live virus from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine would lodge and grow in a child's intestinal tract, causing damage there.

The hypothesis was that the virus also would cause inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, resulting in autism symptoms.

If this theory was correct, however, then tissue biopsies from autistic children should show traces of the MMR vaccine, whereas biopsies from control children without autism should not, the researchers noted.

The current study also refutes a decade-old study that first suggested that the onset of behavioral abnormalities in a small group of children who had autism spectrum disorders and gastrointestinal problems coincided with their having received the MMR vaccine.

To identify a possible link between measles virus in the GI tract and autism, Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University in New York, and colleagues examined bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders and GI problems. They compared the biopsies with bowel tissue from children who had GI problems but did not have autism (PLoS ONE 2008;3:e3140).

The researchers found that there were no significant differences in the presence of RNA from the measles virus in the biopsies from the autistic children, compared with the children who were not autistic.

All of the children had received the MMR vaccine, but the researchers detected trace amounts of measles RNA (fewer than 10 copies) in only one child with autism and one control child.

The average age of the autism and control groups at the time of the first MMR vaccination was 15 months and 16 months, respectively; the average interval between the MMR vaccination and the tissue biopsy was 41 months and 40 months, respectively. A total of 12 of the 25 (48%) autistic children had received MMR vaccine before their GI problems began, compared with 3 of 13 (23%) controls. But this difference was not statistically significant.

Children with autism who received the first MMR vaccine before the onset of their GI problems were significantly older when their GI problems began, compared with the children with autism who had GI problems before they received the vaccine. Children with GI problems before their autism diagnoses were significantly younger than children who developed GI problems after they were diagnosed with autism. A chi-square analysis "indicated no role for MMR in either the pathogenesis of autism or GI dysfunction," Dr. Hornig and colleagues noted.

"If MMR is causally related to either GI disturbances or autism it should precede their onset," the researchers wrote. Instead, they found that the order of MMR vaccine administration, the onset of GI problems, and the onset of autism was "inconsistent with a causal role for MMR vaccine as a trigger or exacerbator of either GI disturbances or autism," they explained.

The study was limited by the small group of children, but no previous studies have examined the tissue from children with autism and gastrointestinal problems specifically to assess links to vaccines. The characteristics of gastrointestinal problems within the population of children with autism remain unclear, and more research is needed, Dr. Hornig and associates added.

The study was supported in part by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and by an award from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hornig disclosed no financial conflicts.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. In most cases, though, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

"Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity," the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings. But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. In most cases, though, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

"Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity," the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings. But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. In most cases, though, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

"Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity," the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings. But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost.

The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost.

The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11–12 years and young women aged 13–26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex., and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11–17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost.

The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239–45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year. Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine. Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Overall, acute myocardial infarction remains rare in women of childbearing age, but the prevalence is expected to rise as more women postpone pregnancy, according to a review of 103 women who had acute myocardial infarctions during pregnancy.

Coronary dissection was the cause of AMI in more than a quarter of the cases. A total of 28 patients (27%) had 41 dissected coronary arteries, even though this condition is rare as a cause of AMI in nonpregnant patients, according to the investigators, Dr. Arie Roth of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Uri Elkayam of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

“The coronary dissection is unique to pregnancy,” Dr. Elkayam said. “That means when a pregnant woman has acute MI, the clinician has to consider that many [of these women] would not have the usual atherosclerotic disease.”

It's important to define the nature of the MI by angiography before deciding on an aggressive therapy, and to avoid the automatic use of thrombolytic therapy, he said.

“Most physicians don't see patients like this or they see one in their lifetime, and it is difficult to know what to do, and so the patients may not get the appropriate care,” Dr. Elkayam said.

The physicians conducted this review of cases between 1995 and 2005 to update characteristics of AMIs during pregnancy from their 1995 analysis of 125 women who had AMIs during pregnancy between 1922 and 1995.

In the current review, the women's ages ranged from 19 to 44 years, but 72% were older than 30 years. The average age for women in both study groups was 33 years (J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80).

“The diagnostic and therapeutic changes have been revolutionary,” Dr. Elkayam noted. For example, data on the coronary anatomy were available for only 54% of the early group, compared with 93% of the current group, a statistically significant difference.

Consequently, the approach is more aggressive in terms of performing angiography and angioplasty and placing stents in young women, said Dr. Elkayam, director of the heart failure program and a professor of ob.gyn. and medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Advances in technology helped to reduce the mortality rate from 21% in the earlier review to 11% in the current review. Although this difference was not statistically significant, it supports findings of reduced mortality rates from other studies and suggests “a significant improvement in the outcome of pregnancy-related AMI in the last decade,” the investigators noted.

The fetal mortality rate in the current study group was 9%, and two pregnancies were terminated because of concerns about drug teratogenicity.

Despite the relatively young ages of the women studied, risk factors for AMI were fairly common. Overall, 45% of the women were smokers, 24% had hyperlipidemia, 22% had family history of MI, 15% had high blood pressure, and 11% had diabetes.

“The incidence of MI in pregnancy is very low, but it was surprising that the risk factors were high,” noted Dr. Elkayam. Many younger women may not recognize risk factors such as a family history of MI or receive treatment for risk factors such as high cholesterol, or high blood pressure prior to pregnancy, he said.

Treating MI risk factors in pregnant women remains a challenge because the drugs that clinicians use are potentially risky to the mother, fetus, or both.

“Pregnant women are always excluded from trials,” Dr. Elkayam said. “So we are somewhat limited and we must consider true benefit vs. potential risk.”

Because physicians are treating two patients—mother and fetus—they need to make medication decisions wisely. “Sometimes we may have to use the therapy if the patient is at high risk,” he said.

It is difficult to conduct research with pregnant women, Dr. Elkayam acknowledged. But physicians must continue to report data from cases of acute MI in pregnancy in order to build a knowledge base to help manage these patients.

“We need to continue to follow these patients and perhaps start a registry so we can increase our understanding. For example, there are no data on the use of drug-eluting stents in pregnant women.”

Several techniques for evaluating possible AMI in nonpregnant patients are safe for pregnant women, with modifications as necessary based on concerns for fetal safety and factors associated with normal pregnancy. Safe choices include an echocardiogram and exercise testing, but radiation exposure should be limited, the investigators noted.

AMI in pregnant women is often overlooked or dismissed as reflux or indigestion, which can lead to a delay in diagnosis, Dr. Carole Warnes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., said in an interview.

“AMI must be recognized by emergency physicians and internists as well as ob.gyns,” she said, and patients should be referred to a cardiologist promptly if AMI is suspected.

Consider AMI in any symptomatic pregnant patient with a suggestive history and rule it out only after a detailed cardiac evaluation, Dr. Warnes advised.

If AMI is diagnosed, “manage the patient, preferably in an ICU where combined cardiac and obstetric care can be provided with a multidisciplinary team approach,” she said.

Risk Categories for Therapy Options For Treating AMI in Pregnant Women

Drug therapies that were noted in the review fit into the Food and Drug Administration's pregnancy risk categories as follows:

Risk Category B (Drug has shown no risk to the fetus based on animal studies, or animal studies showed a risk that was not confirmed by controlled studies of women in the first trimester of pregnancy.)

▸ Organic nitrates: nitroglycerine.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: metoprolol.

▸ Aldosterone blocker: eplerenone.

▸ Low-molecular-weight heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: thienopyridine derivatives (clopidogrel, ticlopidine), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (eptifibatide, tirofiban).

Risk Category C (Drug poses potential risk to the fetus and should only be given if the potential benefit justifies potential risk.)

▸ Organic nitrates: isosorbide dinitrate.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: atenolol.

▸ Calcium channel blockers: nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil.

▸ Unfractionated heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: aspirin, glycoprotein IIB/IIIa inhibitors (abciximab).

▸ Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBs). Contraindicated for pregnant patients.

▸ Morphine sulfate: One study of 448 exposures showed no evidence of teratogenic effects.

Risk Category X (Drug has shown evidence of causing fetal abnormalities and the risk to the fetus outweighs any possible benefit).

▸ HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (statins): Use of these drugs is not recommended in pregnancy because of evidence of inhibition of DNA replication and of fetal abnormalities in animal studies.

Source: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80

Overall, acute myocardial infarction remains rare in women of childbearing age, but the prevalence is expected to rise as more women postpone pregnancy, according to a review of 103 women who had acute myocardial infarctions during pregnancy.

Coronary dissection was the cause of AMI in more than a quarter of the cases. A total of 28 patients (27%) had 41 dissected coronary arteries, even though this condition is rare as a cause of AMI in nonpregnant patients, according to the investigators, Dr. Arie Roth of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Uri Elkayam of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

“The coronary dissection is unique to pregnancy,” Dr. Elkayam said. “That means when a pregnant woman has acute MI, the clinician has to consider that many [of these women] would not have the usual atherosclerotic disease.”

It's important to define the nature of the MI by angiography before deciding on an aggressive therapy, and to avoid the automatic use of thrombolytic therapy, he said.

“Most physicians don't see patients like this or they see one in their lifetime, and it is difficult to know what to do, and so the patients may not get the appropriate care,” Dr. Elkayam said.

The physicians conducted this review of cases between 1995 and 2005 to update characteristics of AMIs during pregnancy from their 1995 analysis of 125 women who had AMIs during pregnancy between 1922 and 1995.

In the current review, the women's ages ranged from 19 to 44 years, but 72% were older than 30 years. The average age for women in both study groups was 33 years (J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80).

“The diagnostic and therapeutic changes have been revolutionary,” Dr. Elkayam noted. For example, data on the coronary anatomy were available for only 54% of the early group, compared with 93% of the current group, a statistically significant difference.

Consequently, the approach is more aggressive in terms of performing angiography and angioplasty and placing stents in young women, said Dr. Elkayam, director of the heart failure program and a professor of ob.gyn. and medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Advances in technology helped to reduce the mortality rate from 21% in the earlier review to 11% in the current review. Although this difference was not statistically significant, it supports findings of reduced mortality rates from other studies and suggests “a significant improvement in the outcome of pregnancy-related AMI in the last decade,” the investigators noted.

The fetal mortality rate in the current study group was 9%, and two pregnancies were terminated because of concerns about drug teratogenicity.

Despite the relatively young ages of the women studied, risk factors for AMI were fairly common. Overall, 45% of the women were smokers, 24% had hyperlipidemia, 22% had family history of MI, 15% had high blood pressure, and 11% had diabetes.

“The incidence of MI in pregnancy is very low, but it was surprising that the risk factors were high,” noted Dr. Elkayam. Many younger women may not recognize risk factors such as a family history of MI or receive treatment for risk factors such as high cholesterol, or high blood pressure prior to pregnancy, he said.

Treating MI risk factors in pregnant women remains a challenge because the drugs that clinicians use are potentially risky to the mother, fetus, or both.

“Pregnant women are always excluded from trials,” Dr. Elkayam said. “So we are somewhat limited and we must consider true benefit vs. potential risk.”

Because physicians are treating two patients—mother and fetus—they need to make medication decisions wisely. “Sometimes we may have to use the therapy if the patient is at high risk,” he said.

It is difficult to conduct research with pregnant women, Dr. Elkayam acknowledged. But physicians must continue to report data from cases of acute MI in pregnancy in order to build a knowledge base to help manage these patients.

“We need to continue to follow these patients and perhaps start a registry so we can increase our understanding. For example, there are no data on the use of drug-eluting stents in pregnant women.”

Several techniques for evaluating possible AMI in nonpregnant patients are safe for pregnant women, with modifications as necessary based on concerns for fetal safety and factors associated with normal pregnancy. Safe choices include an echocardiogram and exercise testing, but radiation exposure should be limited, the investigators noted.

AMI in pregnant women is often overlooked or dismissed as reflux or indigestion, which can lead to a delay in diagnosis, Dr. Carole Warnes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., said in an interview.

“AMI must be recognized by emergency physicians and internists as well as ob.gyns,” she said, and patients should be referred to a cardiologist promptly if AMI is suspected.

Consider AMI in any symptomatic pregnant patient with a suggestive history and rule it out only after a detailed cardiac evaluation, Dr. Warnes advised.

If AMI is diagnosed, “manage the patient, preferably in an ICU where combined cardiac and obstetric care can be provided with a multidisciplinary team approach,” she said.

Risk Categories for Therapy Options For Treating AMI in Pregnant Women

Drug therapies that were noted in the review fit into the Food and Drug Administration's pregnancy risk categories as follows:

Risk Category B (Drug has shown no risk to the fetus based on animal studies, or animal studies showed a risk that was not confirmed by controlled studies of women in the first trimester of pregnancy.)

▸ Organic nitrates: nitroglycerine.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: metoprolol.

▸ Aldosterone blocker: eplerenone.

▸ Low-molecular-weight heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: thienopyridine derivatives (clopidogrel, ticlopidine), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (eptifibatide, tirofiban).

Risk Category C (Drug poses potential risk to the fetus and should only be given if the potential benefit justifies potential risk.)

▸ Organic nitrates: isosorbide dinitrate.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: atenolol.

▸ Calcium channel blockers: nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil.

▸ Unfractionated heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: aspirin, glycoprotein IIB/IIIa inhibitors (abciximab).

▸ Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBs). Contraindicated for pregnant patients.

▸ Morphine sulfate: One study of 448 exposures showed no evidence of teratogenic effects.

Risk Category X (Drug has shown evidence of causing fetal abnormalities and the risk to the fetus outweighs any possible benefit).

▸ HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (statins): Use of these drugs is not recommended in pregnancy because of evidence of inhibition of DNA replication and of fetal abnormalities in animal studies.

Source: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80

Overall, acute myocardial infarction remains rare in women of childbearing age, but the prevalence is expected to rise as more women postpone pregnancy, according to a review of 103 women who had acute myocardial infarctions during pregnancy.

Coronary dissection was the cause of AMI in more than a quarter of the cases. A total of 28 patients (27%) had 41 dissected coronary arteries, even though this condition is rare as a cause of AMI in nonpregnant patients, according to the investigators, Dr. Arie Roth of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Uri Elkayam of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

“The coronary dissection is unique to pregnancy,” Dr. Elkayam said. “That means when a pregnant woman has acute MI, the clinician has to consider that many [of these women] would not have the usual atherosclerotic disease.”

It's important to define the nature of the MI by angiography before deciding on an aggressive therapy, and to avoid the automatic use of thrombolytic therapy, he said.

“Most physicians don't see patients like this or they see one in their lifetime, and it is difficult to know what to do, and so the patients may not get the appropriate care,” Dr. Elkayam said.

The physicians conducted this review of cases between 1995 and 2005 to update characteristics of AMIs during pregnancy from their 1995 analysis of 125 women who had AMIs during pregnancy between 1922 and 1995.

In the current review, the women's ages ranged from 19 to 44 years, but 72% were older than 30 years. The average age for women in both study groups was 33 years (J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80).

“The diagnostic and therapeutic changes have been revolutionary,” Dr. Elkayam noted. For example, data on the coronary anatomy were available for only 54% of the early group, compared with 93% of the current group, a statistically significant difference.

Consequently, the approach is more aggressive in terms of performing angiography and angioplasty and placing stents in young women, said Dr. Elkayam, director of the heart failure program and a professor of ob.gyn. and medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Advances in technology helped to reduce the mortality rate from 21% in the earlier review to 11% in the current review. Although this difference was not statistically significant, it supports findings of reduced mortality rates from other studies and suggests “a significant improvement in the outcome of pregnancy-related AMI in the last decade,” the investigators noted.

The fetal mortality rate in the current study group was 9%, and two pregnancies were terminated because of concerns about drug teratogenicity.

Despite the relatively young ages of the women studied, risk factors for AMI were fairly common. Overall, 45% of the women were smokers, 24% had hyperlipidemia, 22% had family history of MI, 15% had high blood pressure, and 11% had diabetes.

“The incidence of MI in pregnancy is very low, but it was surprising that the risk factors were high,” noted Dr. Elkayam. Many younger women may not recognize risk factors such as a family history of MI or receive treatment for risk factors such as high cholesterol, or high blood pressure prior to pregnancy, he said.

Treating MI risk factors in pregnant women remains a challenge because the drugs that clinicians use are potentially risky to the mother, fetus, or both.

“Pregnant women are always excluded from trials,” Dr. Elkayam said. “So we are somewhat limited and we must consider true benefit vs. potential risk.”

Because physicians are treating two patients—mother and fetus—they need to make medication decisions wisely. “Sometimes we may have to use the therapy if the patient is at high risk,” he said.

It is difficult to conduct research with pregnant women, Dr. Elkayam acknowledged. But physicians must continue to report data from cases of acute MI in pregnancy in order to build a knowledge base to help manage these patients.

“We need to continue to follow these patients and perhaps start a registry so we can increase our understanding. For example, there are no data on the use of drug-eluting stents in pregnant women.”

Several techniques for evaluating possible AMI in nonpregnant patients are safe for pregnant women, with modifications as necessary based on concerns for fetal safety and factors associated with normal pregnancy. Safe choices include an echocardiogram and exercise testing, but radiation exposure should be limited, the investigators noted.

AMI in pregnant women is often overlooked or dismissed as reflux or indigestion, which can lead to a delay in diagnosis, Dr. Carole Warnes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., said in an interview.

“AMI must be recognized by emergency physicians and internists as well as ob.gyns,” she said, and patients should be referred to a cardiologist promptly if AMI is suspected.

Consider AMI in any symptomatic pregnant patient with a suggestive history and rule it out only after a detailed cardiac evaluation, Dr. Warnes advised.

If AMI is diagnosed, “manage the patient, preferably in an ICU where combined cardiac and obstetric care can be provided with a multidisciplinary team approach,” she said.

Risk Categories for Therapy Options For Treating AMI in Pregnant Women

Drug therapies that were noted in the review fit into the Food and Drug Administration's pregnancy risk categories as follows:

Risk Category B (Drug has shown no risk to the fetus based on animal studies, or animal studies showed a risk that was not confirmed by controlled studies of women in the first trimester of pregnancy.)

▸ Organic nitrates: nitroglycerine.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: metoprolol.

▸ Aldosterone blocker: eplerenone.

▸ Low-molecular-weight heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: thienopyridine derivatives (clopidogrel, ticlopidine), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (eptifibatide, tirofiban).

Risk Category C (Drug poses potential risk to the fetus and should only be given if the potential benefit justifies potential risk.)

▸ Organic nitrates: isosorbide dinitrate.

▸ β-Adrenergic blocking agents: atenolol.

▸ Calcium channel blockers: nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil.

▸ Unfractionated heparin.

▸ Antiplatelet therapy: aspirin, glycoprotein IIB/IIIa inhibitors (abciximab).

▸ Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBs). Contraindicated for pregnant patients.

▸ Morphine sulfate: One study of 448 exposures showed no evidence of teratogenic effects.

Risk Category X (Drug has shown evidence of causing fetal abnormalities and the risk to the fetus outweighs any possible benefit).

▸ HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (statins): Use of these drugs is not recommended in pregnancy because of evidence of inhibition of DNA replication and of fetal abnormalities in animal studies.

Source: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2008;52:171–80

WASHINGTON — Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators can extend survival and improve functionality in properly selected cardiac patients, but given the lack of data from elderly individuals, choices can be complex and challenging.

“We don't have very good long-term randomized, prospective clinical trials in the very elderly to know exactly what the best therapy is,” Dr. Brian Olshansky said at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Not everyone is going to be saved with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator [ICD],” said Dr. Olshansky, a professor of medicine and a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

But device therapy can be beneficial in elderly patients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias because these conditions can significantly impair the patient's daily activities, he noted.

On the basis of results from a recent review of a Medicare database, “what we can say is that people who receive ICDs [whether single chamber, dual chamber, or with cardiac resynchronization pacing], presumably for the right reason, do better than those who don't in a Medicare population,” Dr. Olshansky said (Heart Rhythm 2008;5:646–53).

However, the benefit of pacemakers in this population is less clear. In the Pacemaker Selection in the Elderly (PASE) study, a single-blind, prospective, randomized trial that examined quality of life after pacemaker implantation in patients with a mean age of 76 years, use of a pacemaker significantly improved quality of life in patients with symptomatic bradycardia, but there was no difference in survival between dual- and single-chamber pacemakers, said Dr. Olshansky (N. Engl. J. Med. 1998;338:1097–104).

In some cases a pacemaker is only part of the solution in lieu of medications or procedures to treat tachyarrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Atrioventricular (AV) junction ablation can be an effective means of controlling fast ventricular rates caused by atrial fibrillation, improving quality of life and functionality.

“In my experience, elderly patients seem to get a tremendous benefit from AV junctional ablation in cases with fast rates in atrial fibrillation not controlled with medical therapy,” Dr. Olshansky said.

“What is really most important is that an AV junctional ablation can allow patients to do what they want to do, like carrying groceries and climbing stairs,” said Dr. Olshansky.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with impaired ventricular function, functional class III or IV heart failure, and a wide QRS complex may be an appropriate option, but it has not been well studied in patients older than 80 years, and it is more complicated and expensive than a single-site option, he noted.

But potential benefits of CRT include improved quality of life, as well as reduced heart failure symptoms and improved exercise tolerance. Also, studies have shown that CRT can reduce hospitalization and the risk of death.

The Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) study, which included patients approximately 65 years old, significantly improved functional status over a 6-month follow-up period after CRT pacing, compared with a control group who received a CRT implant without pacing (N. Engl. J. Med. 2002;346:1845–53).

Another growing area is atrial fibrillation ablation, but older patients are at greater risk from this long, arduous procedure and they may derive less benefit, compared with a younger population. Although study findings suggest that this procedure may improve quality of life more than antiarrhythmic medications, these data do not include elderly patients.

Dr. Olshansky stated that he has served as a consultant and a member of the speakers bureaus for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Novartis.

Device therapy can be beneficial in elderlypatients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias. DR. OLSHANSKY

WASHINGTON — Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators can extend survival and improve functionality in properly selected cardiac patients, but given the lack of data from elderly individuals, choices can be complex and challenging.

“We don't have very good long-term randomized, prospective clinical trials in the very elderly to know exactly what the best therapy is,” Dr. Brian Olshansky said at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Not everyone is going to be saved with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator [ICD],” said Dr. Olshansky, a professor of medicine and a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

But device therapy can be beneficial in elderly patients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias because these conditions can significantly impair the patient's daily activities, he noted.

On the basis of results from a recent review of a Medicare database, “what we can say is that people who receive ICDs [whether single chamber, dual chamber, or with cardiac resynchronization pacing], presumably for the right reason, do better than those who don't in a Medicare population,” Dr. Olshansky said (Heart Rhythm 2008;5:646–53).

However, the benefit of pacemakers in this population is less clear. In the Pacemaker Selection in the Elderly (PASE) study, a single-blind, prospective, randomized trial that examined quality of life after pacemaker implantation in patients with a mean age of 76 years, use of a pacemaker significantly improved quality of life in patients with symptomatic bradycardia, but there was no difference in survival between dual- and single-chamber pacemakers, said Dr. Olshansky (N. Engl. J. Med. 1998;338:1097–104).

In some cases a pacemaker is only part of the solution in lieu of medications or procedures to treat tachyarrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Atrioventricular (AV) junction ablation can be an effective means of controlling fast ventricular rates caused by atrial fibrillation, improving quality of life and functionality.

“In my experience, elderly patients seem to get a tremendous benefit from AV junctional ablation in cases with fast rates in atrial fibrillation not controlled with medical therapy,” Dr. Olshansky said.

“What is really most important is that an AV junctional ablation can allow patients to do what they want to do, like carrying groceries and climbing stairs,” said Dr. Olshansky.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with impaired ventricular function, functional class III or IV heart failure, and a wide QRS complex may be an appropriate option, but it has not been well studied in patients older than 80 years, and it is more complicated and expensive than a single-site option, he noted.

But potential benefits of CRT include improved quality of life, as well as reduced heart failure symptoms and improved exercise tolerance. Also, studies have shown that CRT can reduce hospitalization and the risk of death.

The Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) study, which included patients approximately 65 years old, significantly improved functional status over a 6-month follow-up period after CRT pacing, compared with a control group who received a CRT implant without pacing (N. Engl. J. Med. 2002;346:1845–53).

Another growing area is atrial fibrillation ablation, but older patients are at greater risk from this long, arduous procedure and they may derive less benefit, compared with a younger population. Although study findings suggest that this procedure may improve quality of life more than antiarrhythmic medications, these data do not include elderly patients.

Dr. Olshansky stated that he has served as a consultant and a member of the speakers bureaus for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Novartis.

Device therapy can be beneficial in elderlypatients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias. DR. OLSHANSKY

WASHINGTON — Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators can extend survival and improve functionality in properly selected cardiac patients, but given the lack of data from elderly individuals, choices can be complex and challenging.

“We don't have very good long-term randomized, prospective clinical trials in the very elderly to know exactly what the best therapy is,” Dr. Brian Olshansky said at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Not everyone is going to be saved with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator [ICD],” said Dr. Olshansky, a professor of medicine and a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

But device therapy can be beneficial in elderly patients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias because these conditions can significantly impair the patient's daily activities, he noted.

On the basis of results from a recent review of a Medicare database, “what we can say is that people who receive ICDs [whether single chamber, dual chamber, or with cardiac resynchronization pacing], presumably for the right reason, do better than those who don't in a Medicare population,” Dr. Olshansky said (Heart Rhythm 2008;5:646–53).

However, the benefit of pacemakers in this population is less clear. In the Pacemaker Selection in the Elderly (PASE) study, a single-blind, prospective, randomized trial that examined quality of life after pacemaker implantation in patients with a mean age of 76 years, use of a pacemaker significantly improved quality of life in patients with symptomatic bradycardia, but there was no difference in survival between dual- and single-chamber pacemakers, said Dr. Olshansky (N. Engl. J. Med. 1998;338:1097–104).

In some cases a pacemaker is only part of the solution in lieu of medications or procedures to treat tachyarrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Atrioventricular (AV) junction ablation can be an effective means of controlling fast ventricular rates caused by atrial fibrillation, improving quality of life and functionality.

“In my experience, elderly patients seem to get a tremendous benefit from AV junctional ablation in cases with fast rates in atrial fibrillation not controlled with medical therapy,” Dr. Olshansky said.

“What is really most important is that an AV junctional ablation can allow patients to do what they want to do, like carrying groceries and climbing stairs,” said Dr. Olshansky.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with impaired ventricular function, functional class III or IV heart failure, and a wide QRS complex may be an appropriate option, but it has not been well studied in patients older than 80 years, and it is more complicated and expensive than a single-site option, he noted.

But potential benefits of CRT include improved quality of life, as well as reduced heart failure symptoms and improved exercise tolerance. Also, studies have shown that CRT can reduce hospitalization and the risk of death.

The Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) study, which included patients approximately 65 years old, significantly improved functional status over a 6-month follow-up period after CRT pacing, compared with a control group who received a CRT implant without pacing (N. Engl. J. Med. 2002;346:1845–53).

Another growing area is atrial fibrillation ablation, but older patients are at greater risk from this long, arduous procedure and they may derive less benefit, compared with a younger population. Although study findings suggest that this procedure may improve quality of life more than antiarrhythmic medications, these data do not include elderly patients.

Dr. Olshansky stated that he has served as a consultant and a member of the speakers bureaus for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Novartis.

Device therapy can be beneficial in elderlypatients with tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias. DR. OLSHANSKY

SAN DIEGO — Treatment with natalizumab significantly reduced the rates of overall hospitalization and disease-specific hospitalization for adults with Crohn's disease, according to data from 1,373 adults presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week.

Hospitalization is one of the greatest expenses associated with Crohn's disease, and preventing hospitalization remains a major goal of treatment, said Dr. Bruce E. Sands, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

To investigate the impact of natalizumab on all-cause and Crohn's-specific hospitalizations, Dr. Sands and his colleagues analyzed pooled data from two randomized, controlled trials—ENCORE (Efficacy of Natalizumab in Crohn's Disease Response and Remission) and ENACT-1 (Evaluation of Natalizumab as Continuous Therapy)—which included a total intent-to-treat population of 1,414 persons.

The two patient groups had an average age of 38 years and similar demographic characteristics at baseline. The patients had been randomly assigned to receive an intravenous dose of 300 mg natalizumab or a placebo every 4 weeks for a 12-week induction period. The hospitalization rate was calculated as hospital admissions per 100 courses (per 100 patients).

The study involved an additional analysis of a subgroup of 346 patients who had failed prior anti-TNF therapy and had active inflammation, as shown by elevated C-reactive protein levels.

“We observed a total of 136 all-cause hospitalizations in the entire cohort, and of these, 109 were Crohn's related,” Dr. Sands said.

In a multivariate analysis, natalizumab was associated with a significant reduction of 35% in the all-cause hospitalization rate. In addition, natalizumab use was associated with a comparable reduction of 30% in the Crohn's-related hospitalization rate, but this difference was not statistically significant.

In the multivariate model, the effect size was even more dramatic for the subset of anti-TNF-resistant patients. The all-cause hospitalization rate in this group was significantly lower for patients who received natalizumab, compared with placebo (9.7/100 patients vs. 20.8/100 patients). The Crohn's-related hospitalization rates also were significantly lower for natalizumab patients vs. placebo patients (6.3/100 patients vs. 12.8/100 patients).

“Both anti-TNF experience and elevated C-reactive protein were associated with greater risk of hospitalization,” Dr. Sands added.

In both univariate and multivariate analysis, the other independent predictors of hospitalization were low body mass index, baseline C-reactive protein level, prior anti-TNF experience, and elevation of baseline Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI).

Dr. Sands has received consulting fees, grants, and research support from multiple pharmaceutical companies.

ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

SAN DIEGO — Treatment with natalizumab significantly reduced the rates of overall hospitalization and disease-specific hospitalization for adults with Crohn's disease, according to data from 1,373 adults presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week.

Hospitalization is one of the greatest expenses associated with Crohn's disease, and preventing hospitalization remains a major goal of treatment, said Dr. Bruce E. Sands, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

To investigate the impact of natalizumab on all-cause and Crohn's-specific hospitalizations, Dr. Sands and his colleagues analyzed pooled data from two randomized, controlled trials—ENCORE (Efficacy of Natalizumab in Crohn's Disease Response and Remission) and ENACT-1 (Evaluation of Natalizumab as Continuous Therapy)—which included a total intent-to-treat population of 1,414 persons.

The two patient groups had an average age of 38 years and similar demographic characteristics at baseline. The patients had been randomly assigned to receive an intravenous dose of 300 mg natalizumab or a placebo every 4 weeks for a 12-week induction period. The hospitalization rate was calculated as hospital admissions per 100 courses (per 100 patients).

The study involved an additional analysis of a subgroup of 346 patients who had failed prior anti-TNF therapy and had active inflammation, as shown by elevated C-reactive protein levels.

“We observed a total of 136 all-cause hospitalizations in the entire cohort, and of these, 109 were Crohn's related,” Dr. Sands said.

In a multivariate analysis, natalizumab was associated with a significant reduction of 35% in the all-cause hospitalization rate. In addition, natalizumab use was associated with a comparable reduction of 30% in the Crohn's-related hospitalization rate, but this difference was not statistically significant.

In the multivariate model, the effect size was even more dramatic for the subset of anti-TNF-resistant patients. The all-cause hospitalization rate in this group was significantly lower for patients who received natalizumab, compared with placebo (9.7/100 patients vs. 20.8/100 patients). The Crohn's-related hospitalization rates also were significantly lower for natalizumab patients vs. placebo patients (6.3/100 patients vs. 12.8/100 patients).

“Both anti-TNF experience and elevated C-reactive protein were associated with greater risk of hospitalization,” Dr. Sands added.

In both univariate and multivariate analysis, the other independent predictors of hospitalization were low body mass index, baseline C-reactive protein level, prior anti-TNF experience, and elevation of baseline Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI).

Dr. Sands has received consulting fees, grants, and research support from multiple pharmaceutical companies.

ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

SAN DIEGO — Treatment with natalizumab significantly reduced the rates of overall hospitalization and disease-specific hospitalization for adults with Crohn's disease, according to data from 1,373 adults presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week.

Hospitalization is one of the greatest expenses associated with Crohn's disease, and preventing hospitalization remains a major goal of treatment, said Dr. Bruce E. Sands, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

To investigate the impact of natalizumab on all-cause and Crohn's-specific hospitalizations, Dr. Sands and his colleagues analyzed pooled data from two randomized, controlled trials—ENCORE (Efficacy of Natalizumab in Crohn's Disease Response and Remission) and ENACT-1 (Evaluation of Natalizumab as Continuous Therapy)—which included a total intent-to-treat population of 1,414 persons.

The two patient groups had an average age of 38 years and similar demographic characteristics at baseline. The patients had been randomly assigned to receive an intravenous dose of 300 mg natalizumab or a placebo every 4 weeks for a 12-week induction period. The hospitalization rate was calculated as hospital admissions per 100 courses (per 100 patients).

The study involved an additional analysis of a subgroup of 346 patients who had failed prior anti-TNF therapy and had active inflammation, as shown by elevated C-reactive protein levels.

“We observed a total of 136 all-cause hospitalizations in the entire cohort, and of these, 109 were Crohn's related,” Dr. Sands said.

In a multivariate analysis, natalizumab was associated with a significant reduction of 35% in the all-cause hospitalization rate. In addition, natalizumab use was associated with a comparable reduction of 30% in the Crohn's-related hospitalization rate, but this difference was not statistically significant.

In the multivariate model, the effect size was even more dramatic for the subset of anti-TNF-resistant patients. The all-cause hospitalization rate in this group was significantly lower for patients who received natalizumab, compared with placebo (9.7/100 patients vs. 20.8/100 patients). The Crohn's-related hospitalization rates also were significantly lower for natalizumab patients vs. placebo patients (6.3/100 patients vs. 12.8/100 patients).

“Both anti-TNF experience and elevated C-reactive protein were associated with greater risk of hospitalization,” Dr. Sands added.

In both univariate and multivariate analysis, the other independent predictors of hospitalization were low body mass index, baseline C-reactive protein level, prior anti-TNF experience, and elevation of baseline Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI).

Dr. Sands has received consulting fees, grants, and research support from multiple pharmaceutical companies.

ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11-12 years and young women aged 13-26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11-17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239-45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year.

Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the HPV vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine.

Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings.

But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11-12 years and young women aged 13-26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11-17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239-45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year.

Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the HPV vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine.

Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings.

But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends a three-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for all girls aged 11-12 years and young women aged 13-26 years. HPV has been identified as a leading cause of cervical cancer.

Previous studies have shown that parents were in favor of vaccination for adolescents but hesitant to vaccinate younger girls. But data from these studies have shown that in most cases, this resistance was not brought on by concerns that the vaccination might make teenage girls more likely to engage in risky sexual activities.

To examine the factors that influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine, Susan L. Rosenthal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and her colleagues interviewed mothers with daughters aged 11-17 years who were visitors to a university-based primary care clinic.

The study included complete results from 153 mothers of various ethnicities (average age 41 years) who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included ratings of seven health beliefs including perceptions of HPV disease severity and barriers to vaccination, such as cost. The questionnaire also addressed aspects of the parent/child relationship, including how closely the girls' activities were monitored by parents and whether the parents had discussed topics such as birth control, dating, and making decisions about sex (J. Adolesc. Health 2008;43:239-45).

Overall, 18% (27) of the mothers had been offered the HPV vaccination for their daughters but had not chosen it, and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, while 34% (52) had not been offered the vaccination and did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the next year.

Another 22% (34) had not been offered the vaccine but were aware of it and planned to vaccinate their daughters within the next year, and 26% (40) of the mothers reported that their daughters had started or completed the HPV vaccination series.

None of the mothers whose daughters had been vaccinated said they viewed the vaccine as unsafe, but objections to the vaccine were focused mostly on the lack of safety data because of the newness of the vaccine.

Mothers who were offered the vaccine but did not plan to vaccinate their daughters within the year often cited a lack information about the vaccine, and some cited a lack of urgency based on their perceptions of their daughters' likely exposure to HPV.

Significant predictors of HPV vaccination after a multivariate analysis were mothers who had less than a high school education, had a history of sexually transmitted infections, had monitored their daughters' activities with peers, and had thought their daughters would not mind getting the shots.

There was no significant association between HPV vaccine acceptance and the ages and ethnicities of the mothers and daughters, the daughters' dating status, mothers' history of HPV, mother/daughter discussion of sex topics, or the general family environment.

“Although the study was not designed to examine the process of and impact of physician counseling, it appeared that those who had been counseled had more positive attitudes toward the vaccine and understood better the reasons for vaccinating their daughters prior to initiation of sexual activity,” the researchers noted.

The study was limited by the relatively small sample and by the university setting, which might have provided more education to parents and daughters than would other settings.

But the results suggest that even those parents and daughters who were counseled about the HPV vaccine wanted more information, and further studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to provide more education, the researchers wrote.

Many mothers who were not planning to vaccinate their daughters within the next year planned to vaccinate them eventually, they added.

The study was funded by grants from Merck & Co. and the National Institutes of Health.

WASHINGTON — As long as they're healthy, adults of any age should be encouraged to exercise, because studies show that it's a safe way to improve their cardiovascular health.

“It turns out that healthy older adults are able to make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments—and physiological homeostasis is preserved—and they are able to exercise effectively,” said Douglas Seals, Ph.D., a physiologist who studies aging and exercise at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He spoke at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Aging will limit the absolute intensity and duration of submaximal aerobic exercise that can be performed by older adults…. However, performance of sustained submaximal exercise is not impaired by advancing age,” said Dr. Seals.

Dr. Seals cited a study that compared measurements during and after submaximal physical exertion in sedentary and trained groups of both healthy young men (aged 20–32 years) and healthy older men (aged 60–70 years). The volunteers walked on a treadmill for 60 minutes with enough effort to reach 70% of their maximum oxygen uptake, or VO₂ max. Both groups of older men had smaller increases in heart rate and lower rates of perceived exertion than did the younger men. Plasma lactate responses, which can be used to indicate metabolic stress in muscles, were also smaller in the older men. Plasma catecholamine responses, which can show a physiological stress response to exercise, barely increased in any of the men (J. Appl. Physiol. 1988;65:900-8).

“One could reasonably interpret these data to mean that older adults undergo a smaller increase in physiological stress from the resting state, compared with young adults in submaximal exercise conditions,” said Dr. Seals.

He and his colleagues reinforced these findings in a similar study of young and elderly men during a 45-minute treadmill walk (Clin. Physiol. 1995;15:169-81). The older men had lesser increases in heart rate, internal body temperature, and plasma norepinephrine concentrations than did the younger group.

The take-home message is that older adults make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments to handle submaximal exercise, he said.

WASHINGTON — As long as they're healthy, adults of any age should be encouraged to exercise, because studies show that it's a safe way to improve their cardiovascular health.

“It turns out that healthy older adults are able to make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments—and physiological homeostasis is preserved—and they are able to exercise effectively,” said Douglas Seals, Ph.D., a physiologist who studies aging and exercise at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He spoke at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Aging will limit the absolute intensity and duration of submaximal aerobic exercise that can be performed by older adults…. However, performance of sustained submaximal exercise is not impaired by advancing age,” said Dr. Seals.

Dr. Seals cited a study that compared measurements during and after submaximal physical exertion in sedentary and trained groups of both healthy young men (aged 20–32 years) and healthy older men (aged 60–70 years). The volunteers walked on a treadmill for 60 minutes with enough effort to reach 70% of their maximum oxygen uptake, or VO₂ max. Both groups of older men had smaller increases in heart rate and lower rates of perceived exertion than did the younger men. Plasma lactate responses, which can be used to indicate metabolic stress in muscles, were also smaller in the older men. Plasma catecholamine responses, which can show a physiological stress response to exercise, barely increased in any of the men (J. Appl. Physiol. 1988;65:900-8).

“One could reasonably interpret these data to mean that older adults undergo a smaller increase in physiological stress from the resting state, compared with young adults in submaximal exercise conditions,” said Dr. Seals.

He and his colleagues reinforced these findings in a similar study of young and elderly men during a 45-minute treadmill walk (Clin. Physiol. 1995;15:169-81). The older men had lesser increases in heart rate, internal body temperature, and plasma norepinephrine concentrations than did the younger group.

The take-home message is that older adults make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments to handle submaximal exercise, he said.

WASHINGTON — As long as they're healthy, adults of any age should be encouraged to exercise, because studies show that it's a safe way to improve their cardiovascular health.

“It turns out that healthy older adults are able to make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments—and physiological homeostasis is preserved—and they are able to exercise effectively,” said Douglas Seals, Ph.D., a physiologist who studies aging and exercise at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He spoke at the annual meeting of the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

“Aging will limit the absolute intensity and duration of submaximal aerobic exercise that can be performed by older adults…. However, performance of sustained submaximal exercise is not impaired by advancing age,” said Dr. Seals.

Dr. Seals cited a study that compared measurements during and after submaximal physical exertion in sedentary and trained groups of both healthy young men (aged 20–32 years) and healthy older men (aged 60–70 years). The volunteers walked on a treadmill for 60 minutes with enough effort to reach 70% of their maximum oxygen uptake, or VO₂ max. Both groups of older men had smaller increases in heart rate and lower rates of perceived exertion than did the younger men. Plasma lactate responses, which can be used to indicate metabolic stress in muscles, were also smaller in the older men. Plasma catecholamine responses, which can show a physiological stress response to exercise, barely increased in any of the men (J. Appl. Physiol. 1988;65:900-8).

“One could reasonably interpret these data to mean that older adults undergo a smaller increase in physiological stress from the resting state, compared with young adults in submaximal exercise conditions,” said Dr. Seals.

He and his colleagues reinforced these findings in a similar study of young and elderly men during a 45-minute treadmill walk (Clin. Physiol. 1995;15:169-81). The older men had lesser increases in heart rate, internal body temperature, and plasma norepinephrine concentrations than did the younger group.

The take-home message is that older adults make the necessary cardiovascular adjustments to handle submaximal exercise, he said.

Women who are diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy are three to four times more likely to have a child with birth defects, compared with women who don't have diabetes prior to pregnancy, based on results from a study of more than 15,000 live births.

Although previous studies have established pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) as a risk factor for several types of birth defects, the prevalence of maternal diabetes in cases of birth defects has not been well quantified, said Dr. Adolfo Correa, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Correa and his colleagues reviewed data from 13,030 cases of infants with birth defects and 4,895 control infants. The data came from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, an ongoing population-based study that includes birth defect surveillance at 10 locations in the United States (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2008 [doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.06.028]).

The overall prevalence of PGDM was 2.2% in cases of infants with birth defects (283 cases/13,030 births), compared with 0.5% for the control infants (24 cases/4,895 births). In the birth defects group, 138 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 145 had type 2 diabetes. In the control group, 10 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 14 had type 2 diabetes.

Overall, 70% of the cases of isolated birth defects and 90% of cases of multiple birth defects in infants whose mothers had PGDM might be attributed to the mother's diabetes, the researchers noted. The prevalence of both types of diabetes was highest among mothers of infants with multiple defects.

The researchers found significant associations between PGDM and several types of heart defects including aortic stenosis and atrial ventricular septal defects. They also found significant associations between PGDM and other types of birth defects including hydrocephalus, cleft lip (with and without cleft palate), anorectal atresia, and longitudinal limb deficiencies. The associations between PGDM and these defects were seen in isolated cases, but the association was even stronger in cases of multiple defects.

“Our findings of moderate to strong odds ratios for PGDM and a wide range of birth defects are consistent with and expand on previous reports that examined all birth defects as a group or broad categories of birth defects,” the researchers said.

The study population included women with known diabetes status prior to pregnancy and delivery dates between Oct. 1, 1997, and Dec. 31, 2003. The researchers excluded cases of birth defects that were linked to a known cause, such as a genetic disorder.

In addition, the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was 3.7% among control mothers vs. 5.1% among mothers whose infants had birth defects. But some women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes may in fact have had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy, the researchers noted.

“We were able to identify overweight and obese women with GDM as a subgroup who may be at increased risk of having offspring with birth defects and in need of closer follow-up examination and evaluation,” the investigators wrote.

The study was limited by the use of maternal self-reports of diagnosed diabetes and by a lack of data on how many pregnancies complicated by PGDM were terminated in the study population.

More research is needed to determine how maternal hyperglycemia affects the developing fetus, the researchers noted. But the range and severity of the defects suggest that diabetes affects the developing embryo in complex and nonspecific ways, they added.

Dr. Correa stated that he had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Women who are diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy are three to four times more likely to have a child with birth defects, compared with women who don't have diabetes prior to pregnancy, based on results from a study of more than 15,000 live births.

Although previous studies have established pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) as a risk factor for several types of birth defects, the prevalence of maternal diabetes in cases of birth defects has not been well quantified, said Dr. Adolfo Correa, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Correa and his colleagues reviewed data from 13,030 cases of infants with birth defects and 4,895 control infants. The data came from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, an ongoing population-based study that includes birth defect surveillance at 10 locations in the United States (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2008 [doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.06.028]).

The overall prevalence of PGDM was 2.2% in cases of infants with birth defects (283 cases/13,030 births), compared with 0.5% for the control infants (24 cases/4,895 births). In the birth defects group, 138 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 145 had type 2 diabetes. In the control group, 10 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 14 had type 2 diabetes.

Overall, 70% of the cases of isolated birth defects and 90% of cases of multiple birth defects in infants whose mothers had PGDM might be attributed to the mother's diabetes, the researchers noted. The prevalence of both types of diabetes was highest among mothers of infants with multiple defects.

The researchers found significant associations between PGDM and several types of heart defects including aortic stenosis and atrial ventricular septal defects. They also found significant associations between PGDM and other types of birth defects including hydrocephalus, cleft lip (with and without cleft palate), anorectal atresia, and longitudinal limb deficiencies. The associations between PGDM and these defects were seen in isolated cases, but the association was even stronger in cases of multiple defects.

“Our findings of moderate to strong odds ratios for PGDM and a wide range of birth defects are consistent with and expand on previous reports that examined all birth defects as a group or broad categories of birth defects,” the researchers said.

The study population included women with known diabetes status prior to pregnancy and delivery dates between Oct. 1, 1997, and Dec. 31, 2003. The researchers excluded cases of birth defects that were linked to a known cause, such as a genetic disorder.

In addition, the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was 3.7% among control mothers vs. 5.1% among mothers whose infants had birth defects. But some women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes may in fact have had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy, the researchers noted.

“We were able to identify overweight and obese women with GDM as a subgroup who may be at increased risk of having offspring with birth defects and in need of closer follow-up examination and evaluation,” the investigators wrote.

The study was limited by the use of maternal self-reports of diagnosed diabetes and by a lack of data on how many pregnancies complicated by PGDM were terminated in the study population.

More research is needed to determine how maternal hyperglycemia affects the developing fetus, the researchers noted. But the range and severity of the defects suggest that diabetes affects the developing embryo in complex and nonspecific ways, they added.

Dr. Correa stated that he had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Women who are diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy are three to four times more likely to have a child with birth defects, compared with women who don't have diabetes prior to pregnancy, based on results from a study of more than 15,000 live births.

Although previous studies have established pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) as a risk factor for several types of birth defects, the prevalence of maternal diabetes in cases of birth defects has not been well quantified, said Dr. Adolfo Correa, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Correa and his colleagues reviewed data from 13,030 cases of infants with birth defects and 4,895 control infants. The data came from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, an ongoing population-based study that includes birth defect surveillance at 10 locations in the United States (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2008 [doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.06.028]).

The overall prevalence of PGDM was 2.2% in cases of infants with birth defects (283 cases/13,030 births), compared with 0.5% for the control infants (24 cases/4,895 births). In the birth defects group, 138 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 145 had type 2 diabetes. In the control group, 10 mothers had type 1 diabetes and 14 had type 2 diabetes.

Overall, 70% of the cases of isolated birth defects and 90% of cases of multiple birth defects in infants whose mothers had PGDM might be attributed to the mother's diabetes, the researchers noted. The prevalence of both types of diabetes was highest among mothers of infants with multiple defects.

The researchers found significant associations between PGDM and several types of heart defects including aortic stenosis and atrial ventricular septal defects. They also found significant associations between PGDM and other types of birth defects including hydrocephalus, cleft lip (with and without cleft palate), anorectal atresia, and longitudinal limb deficiencies. The associations between PGDM and these defects were seen in isolated cases, but the association was even stronger in cases of multiple defects.

“Our findings of moderate to strong odds ratios for PGDM and a wide range of birth defects are consistent with and expand on previous reports that examined all birth defects as a group or broad categories of birth defects,” the researchers said.

The study population included women with known diabetes status prior to pregnancy and delivery dates between Oct. 1, 1997, and Dec. 31, 2003. The researchers excluded cases of birth defects that were linked to a known cause, such as a genetic disorder.

In addition, the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was 3.7% among control mothers vs. 5.1% among mothers whose infants had birth defects. But some women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes may in fact have had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy, the researchers noted.

“We were able to identify overweight and obese women with GDM as a subgroup who may be at increased risk of having offspring with birth defects and in need of closer follow-up examination and evaluation,” the investigators wrote.

The study was limited by the use of maternal self-reports of diagnosed diabetes and by a lack of data on how many pregnancies complicated by PGDM were terminated in the study population.

More research is needed to determine how maternal hyperglycemia affects the developing fetus, the researchers noted. But the range and severity of the defects suggest that diabetes affects the developing embryo in complex and nonspecific ways, they added.

Dr. Correa stated that he had no financial conflicts to disclose.