CHANGES IN FETAL AND MATERNAL DOPPLER PARAMETERS OBSERVED DURING ACUTE SEVERE HYPERTENSION TREATMENT WITH HYDRALAZINE OR LABETALOL: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

We evaluated 16 pregnant women with gestational age between 20 and 32 weeks in acute severe hypertension which were randomly allocated to receive either hydralazine or labetalol. Blood pressure and Doppler ultrasound parameters from maternal uterine and fetal middle cerebral and umbilical arteries were assessed during acute severe hypertension and after treatment. A significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed in both groups. A significant change in Doppler parameters was observed only in pregnant women who received hydralazine: an increase in uterine arteries resistance index. We concluded that both drugs were highly effective in reducing blood pressure in these women. Despite the observed increase in resistance index of uterine arteries associated with hydralazine, the use of hydralazine and labetalol were not related to any significant changes in fetal Doppler, which is reassuring about the safety of these drugs when treating acute severe hypertension in pregnancy. (E-mail: wpmartins@gmail.com) (C) 2011 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.

Use of Music and Voice Stimulus on Patients With Disorders of Consciousness

The objectives of this study were to check music and voice message influence on vital signs and facial expressions of patients with disorders of consciousness and to connect the existence of patient`s responses with the Glasgow Coma Scale or with the Ramsay Sedation Scale. The method was a single-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial with 30 patients, from two intensive care units, being divided into two groups (control and experimental). Their relatives recorded a voice message and chose a song according to the patient`s preference. The patients were submitted to three sessions for three consecutive days. Significant statistical alterations of the vital signs were noted during the message playback (oxygen saturation-Day 1 and Day 3; respiratory frequency-Day 3) and with facial expression, on Day 1, during both music and message. The conclusion was that the voice message was a stronger stimulus than the music.