Congenital diaphragmatic hernia and chromosomal abnormalities: report of a lethal association

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia carries a high mortality which is often the consequence of associated anomalies. A chromosomal abnormality of the long arm of chromosome 8 resulted in a fatal combination of anomalies associated with CDH.     

Congenital heart defects--chromosomal anomalies, syndromes and extracardiac malformations

AIM: To register chromosomal anomalies, syndromes and extracardiac malformations in patients with Congenital heart defects (CHDs). METHOD: Population-based prospective observational study. RESULTS: Of 57 027 live births during 1982-2005, CHDs were detected in 662 (11.6 per 1000), of whom 146 (22%) had associated anomalies. Of these 52 (36%) had chromosomal anomalies (exclusive microdeletions), 26 (18%) genetic syndromes/microdeletions, 1 (0.7%) a teratogenous syndrome and 67 (46%) extracardiac malformations. In perimembraneous ventricular septal defects (VSDs), associated anomalies occurred in 22 of 70 (31%) compared to 27 of 298 (9%) in VSDs located in the muscular part of the septum (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of CHDs with associated disorders increased significantly from the cohort born during 1982-1993 to those born during 1994-2005 (2.0 vs. 3.1 per 1000, respectively; p < 0.0001), mainly caused by an increase of chromosomal trisomies (0.5 vs. 1.1 per 1000; p = 0.026). The percentage of women giving live birth at 35 years of age or more was 7.6% for the period 1982-1993 compared to 13.4% for 1994-2005 (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Chromosomal anomalies, syndromes and extracardiac malformations occurred in nearly one-fourth of CHD cases. Muscular VSDs had a low prevalence of such conditions. The prevalence of CHDs with chromosomal trisomies increased, and was probably related to an increasing age of women giving birth.     

急诊患者遗传代谢病的快速识别与急救

遗传代谢病患者一旦急性发病,多陷于严重中毒、能量代偿不足、神经意识昏睡状态,诊断治疗不及时会导致严重的脑损伤或发育障碍,因此就诊时需要快速有效的代谢检测来明确诊断、决定治疗方案.急诊就诊30 min之内的紧急实验室一线检查结果是鉴别诊断和制定抢救治疗方案的重要参考依据,相继24 h内根据一线检查结果完善相应的遗传代谢病的二线实验室检查是明确诊断遗传代谢病和采取有效治疗方案的关键.     

Clinical characteristics and metabolic abnormalities in preschool-age children with urolithiasis in southeast Anatolia

ObjectiveData on urolithiasis in preschool-age children are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic etiology and clinical findings of preschool-age children with urolithiasis.MethodsThe medical records of 143 preschool-age children (81 boys, 62 girls, aged 2–6 years) with urolithiasis were retrospectively analyzed. Results of physical examination, serum biochemistry, and urine metabolic evaluation (including urinary citrate, oxalate, calcium, uric acid, cystine, and magnesium) were recorded.ResultsThe mean age at diagnosis was 3.7 ± 1.3 years. A family history of stone disease was found in 79.7% of patients, and 37% of parents had consanguineous marriages. The most common presenting symptoms were hematuria (33%) and urinary tract infection (UTI; 29%). Metabolic abnormalities were found in 119 (83.2%) patients, including hyperuricosuria in 24.5%, hypocitraturia in 23.8%, hyperoxaluria in 21.7%, hypercalciuria in 21.0%, cystinuria in 7.7%, and hypomagnesuria in 1.4%. Multiple metabolic abnormalities were found in 24 (16.8%) patients. Results of 28 stone analyses revealed calcium oxalate or phosphate, cystine, and uric acid in 15, nine, and four of the patients, respectively. ^99mTechnetium–dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy revealed that 27.8% of the children with UTI had renal parenchymal scarring, with only four of them having vesicoureteral reflux.ConclusionThe most frequent metabolic abnormalities in preschool-age children with urolithiasis were hyperuricosuria and hypocitraturia. A comprehensive investigation of stone disease in children presenting with hematuria and UTI is important to prevent the development of renal parenchymal scarring.     

新生儿先天畸形396例染色体异常核型及其表型临床特征分析

目的 研究新生儿畸形的主要染色体核型及其临床表型.方法 对2006年1月至2012年5月在苏州大学附属儿童医院就诊的396例先天畸形新生儿按常规方法制备外周血淋巴细胞染色体,G显带并进行核型分析;对各型核型异常患儿的临床表型进行统计分析.结果 1.新生儿396例中检出外周血染色体异常核型159例,异常率为40.2％,其中国内外首次报道3例.2.异常核型中以21-三体(唐氏综合征)最为常见,共130例,占81.8％,其中119例为标准型,10例合并涉及D组或G组的罗伯逊易位,1例伴有性染色体异常.3.其他常见异常核型依次为del(5) (p12-14)4例、18-三体4例、45,XO 4例、inv(9) (p11q12-21)4例、X-三体1例、Rob(13;14)1例、8-三体1例、del(18) (q22)1例等.4.染色体病的临床表型有特殊面容147例(92.5％)、先天性心脏病97例(61.0％)、低出生体质量72例(45.3％)、先天性肛门闭锁13例(8.1％)、多发性畸形11例(6.8％)、肠畸形10例(6.2％)、外生殖器异常9例(5.7％)、猫叫样哭声4例(2.5％)、四肢水肿4例(2.5％)、指趾异常6例(3.6％)、先天性脑发育不良6例(3.6％)、颈蹼5例(3.1％)和唇腭裂3例(1.8％)等.结论 染色体核型异常是导致新生儿先天性疾病的重要因素;特殊面容、先天性心脏病、低出生体质量、多发性畸形是新生儿染色体病的主要临床体征.     

Postmortem Findings and Clinicopathological Correlation in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe life-threatening disease, with an incidence of 3 per 10,000 births, that can occur as an isolated defect or in combination with other congenital anomalies. We reviewed the clinical and autopsy reports of 39 subjects with CDH that were autopsied between 1988 and 2001 to determine whether autopsy had an additional value in the detection of malformations in patients with CDH. We compared the clinical data (including echographic results in some patients) concerning congenital anomalies with the autopsy results. Before autopsy, 6 structural cardiac defects, 3 anomalies of the urogenital system, and 3 anomalies of the digestive tract were observed in 10 patients (clinical and echographic results). However, with postmortem examination, only 4 structural cardiac defects were confirmed, 2 cases showed another cardiac anomaly, and 7 new cardiac defects were found. In the urogenital system, 1 anomaly was confirmed, 1 was not confirmed, and 1 showed another malformation. In addition, in 7 patients new urogenital malformations were found after autopsy. In the digestive tract, all 3 malformations were confirmed, but we found 3 new malformations after postmortem examination. All clinically established dysmorphic features and anomalies of the skeletal system and central nervous system were confirmed by autopsy, and no additional malformations were found. We concluded that postmortem examination has an important additional role in the detection of structural cardiac defects and malformations of the urogenital system and digestive tract in children with CDH.Marieke F. van Dooren and Natascha N.T. Goemaere both contributed equally to this article.     

Etiologic and Pathogenetic Study of Mental Retardation with Multiple Congenital Anomalies

Etiology and pathogenesis of MCA/MR in 1,023 patients (618 male; 405 female) with mental retardation were studied. Of 1,023 patients, there were 563 cases (317 male; 246 female) with MCA (55%). Among the MCA patients, there were 303 (156 male; 147 female) whose primary etiology was clarified (53.8%). Among the 260 patients with MCA/MR of unknown etiology, there were 23 with recognizable syndromes of unknown etiology and 7 previously reported by us as possibly having a new malformation syndrome. We had 569 patients with mental retardation of unknown etiology including 236 (41.5%) who were involved with MCA.     

Congenital deformities and developmental abnormalities of the mandibular condyle in the temporomandibular joint

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) consists of the mandibular condyle and the articular eminence of the temporal bone. The morphological development of the TMJ during prenatal life lags behind other joints in terms of both the timing of its appearance and its progress. At birth, the joint is still largely underdeveloped. There are many causes of the various growth disturbances and abnormalities of the mandibular condyle and related structures. Growth disturbances in the development of the mandibular condyle may occur in utero late in the first trimester and may result in disorders such as aplasia or hypoplasia of the mandibular condyle. Meanwhile, hyperplasia of the mandibular condyle is not visible at birth and seems to be gradually acquired during growth. In the present review article, the congenital abnormalities of the mandibular condyle are classified morphologically into three major groups and two subgroups from a clinical standpoint: (1) hypoplasia or aplasia of the mandibular condyle, including (i) primary condylar aplasia and hypoplasia, (ii) secondary condylar hypoplasia; (2) hyperplasia; and (3) bifidity. In addition, the molecular-based etiology of anomalies of the mandibular condyle is also discussed.     

Clinical presentations and laboratory investigations in respiratory chain deficiency

Respiratory chain deficiencies have long been regarded as neuromuscular diseases. In fact, oxidative phosphorylation, i.e., ATP synthesis by the respiratory chain not only occurs in the neuromuscular system, indeed, a number of nonneuromuscular organs and tissues are dependent upon mitochondrial energy supply. For this reason, a respiratory chain deficiency can theoretically give rise to any symptom, in any organ or tissue, at any age with any mode of inheritance, due to the twofold genetic origin of respiratory enzymes (nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA).     

Beyond screening for chromosomal abnormalities: Advances in non-invasive diagnosis of single gene disorders and fetal exome sequencing

Emerging genomic technologies, largely based around next generation sequencing (NGS), are offering new promise for safer prenatal genetic diagnosis. These innovative approaches will improve screening for fetal aneuploidy, allow definitive non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) of single gene disorders at an early gestational stage without the need for invasive testing, and improve our ability to detect monogenic disorders as the aetiology of fetal abnormalities. This presents clinicians and scientists with novel challenges as well as opportunities. In addition, the transformation of prenatal genetic testing arising from the introduction of whole genome, exome and targeted NGS produces unprecedented volumes of data requiring complex analysis and interpretation. Now translating these technologies to the clinic has become the goal of clinical genomics, transforming modern healthcare and personalized medicine. The achievement of this goal requires the most progressive technological tools for rapid high-throughput data generation at an affordable cost. Furthermore, as larger proportions of patients with genetic disease are identified we must be ready to offer appropriate genetic counselling to families and potential parents. In addition, the identification of novel treatment targets will continue to be explored, which is likely to introduce ethical considerations, particularly if genome editing techniques are included in these targeted treatments and transferred into mainstream personalized healthcare. Here we review the impact of NGS technology to analyse cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal plasma to deliver NIPD for monogenic disorders and allow more comprehensive investigation of the abnormal fetus through the use of exome sequencing.     

重视导致危重症及猝死的潜在遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病

不明原因猝死综合征是高收入国家儿童死亡的主要原因。猝死可发生在新生儿期至成人,貌似健康的人在日常活动、睡眠或运动中意外死亡,潜在的遗传病是导致心脏性猝死和脑死亡的病因。1977年美国首先关注到不明原因猝死综合征,美国、英国、泰国、日本等国家通过对猝死者的病因研究,证实多种遗传病导致的心脏病、脑病是猝死的两组主要疾病。其中心脏性猝死占一半以上,猝死或猝死样发作也常常是潜在遗传病的首发表现。已知多种遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病可导致猝死,如：原发性肉碱缺乏症、长QT综合征、心律失常、低镁血症、低钾血症、高钾血症、低钙血症、低血糖、线粒体病等。遗传代谢病及内分泌疾病包括氨基酸、有机酸、糖、脂肪等近千种先天性代谢缺陷,其中许多疾患可导致急性危重症甚至猝死。运用生化、电生理、影像、病理和基因诊断等技术,一些疾病可通过新生儿筛查及高危筛查获得早期诊断,通过饮食及药物干预,有望减少意外死亡,降低残障的发生。     

Occurrence of secondary cystathioninuria in children with inherited metabolic disorders,liver diseases,neoplasms, cystic fibrosis and celiac disease

Secondary cystathioninuria was found in two of 46 children suffering from tumors, leukemia, liver diseases, inherited metabolic disorders, cystic fibrosis and celiac disease. Of these two patients, one had congenital biliary atresia and the other cytomegalovirus infection. Seven further children had only moderately elevated excretion of cystathionine. It is suggested that secondary cystathioninuria is uncommon in the diseases investigated.Dedicated to Professor Dr. A. Wiskott on the occasion of his 80th birthday