Students Research in Progress
Monday, November 13, 2023
01:00 PM–02:30 PM
Abstract
Introduction:
Despite knowledge of rapid fluctuations in progesterone levels following delivery potentially linked to PPP, the exact association remains unclear. Further, despite many decades of exogenous progestin use little remains known about the impact on development of rare psychiatric emergencies, like PPP. Postpartum psychiatric conditions including PPP is an understudied area. These gaps in knowledge will be assessed in this study by assessing progestin use in people who develop PPP versus matched postpartum controls. This is significant because if we do find an association between progestins and development of PPP, it should lead clinicians to use these more cautiously in otherwise susceptible patients.
Research Question or Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the prevalence of progestin use in people who develop PPP is higher than the prevalence in matched postpartum controls. Thus, our research question is: are people who are diagnosed with PPP more likely than matched postpartum controls to have received progestins (including progesterone, medroxyprogesterone, hydroxyprogesterone) throughout pregnancy and/or in the post-delivery days prior to PPP diagnosis?
Study Design: Retrospective Case-Control
Methods: Subjects will be matched to postpartum controls by age (+/- 2 years), gender and sex (both matched if different), race/ethnicity, and diagnosis (bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type, schizoaffective disorder-depressive type, or none of these) using a 4 to 1 matching ratio. All data will be recorded directly from the Electronic Health Record into the MaineHealth RedCap research data collection tool. Collected data will include demographics, psychiatric diagnosis and symptoms and medication use history. The independent variable is the use of any amount of systemic exogenous progestin therapy throughout pregnancy or post-delivery days prior to PPP diagnosis (or throughout pregnancy and 21 days post delivery in matched controls) and the outcome is dichotomous (yes/no). Statistical analysis via a Chi-Square test will be performed and will be completed using STATA software.
Results: N/A
Conclusion: N/A
Presenting Author
Skyler Evans Bachelor in General Biology and Public HealthUniversity of New England
Authors
Stephanie Nichols Pharm D, MPH, BCPP, BCPS, FCCP
University of New England