Morphometric study of the ascending aorta in human fetuses.

The present study was performed on 128 spontaneously aborted human fetuses, aged 15-34 weeks, to compile normative data for ascending aorta dimensions at varying gestational age. Using anatomical dissection, digital-image analysis (system of Leica QWin Pro 16) and statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression analysis) a range of measurements (Length, original and terminal external diameters, volume) for the ascending aorta during gestation was examined. No significant gender differences were found (P > 0.05). The growth curves of the best fit for the plot for each morphometric feature against gestational age were generated. Both the Length and external diameters of the ascending aorta were found to increase in a linear fashion throughout gestation. The Length ranged from 2.63 +/- 0.42 to 10.80 +/- 1.49mm, according to the linear function y = -4.678 + 0.4647x +/- 0.8447 (r = 0.95). The original external diameter ranged from 2.02 +/- 0.26 to 6.84 +/- 0.63 mm, according to the linear model y = -2.103 + 0.2684x +/- 0.3958 (r = 0.97). The terminal external diameter ranged from 1.73 +/- 0.20 to 6.29 +/- 0.52 mm, with accordance to the linear function y = -2.354 + 0.2567x +/- 0.3826 (r = 0.97). The ascending aorta volume ranged from 7.56 +/- 2.65 to 370.99 +/- 105.42 mm3, according to the quadratic function y = 373.1 - 43.38x + 1.30x(2) +/- 24.51 (R2 = 0.89). The growth curves generated from my data might be useful as a reference for fetal echocardiographers in the detection of some congenital cardiovascular abnormalities.     

胎儿期冠状窦宽度与孕周的相关性分析

目的：测量21~40 周胎儿冠状窦的宽度，观察冠状窦宽度与孕周的相关性及冠状窦宽度的正常值范围。方 法：随机选取2019 年1 月至2020 年7 月来本院产检且孕龄≥ 21 周的胎儿1 511 例，测量冠状窦宽度。将入选的胎 儿分为21~27 周、28~35 周、36 周以上3 组，测量每组的冠状窦宽度，并进行组间比较，对冠状窦宽度与孕周的 相关性进行分析。结果：随着孕周的增加，冠状窦宽度均有所增加，但冠状窦宽度与孕周无线性相关性；3 组之 间差异均有统计学意义；孕21~27 周、28~35 周和36 周以上冠状窦宽度的95%的置信区间分别为0.88~2.95 mm、 1.22~3.89 mm和1.44~4.61 mm。结论：胎儿期冠状窦的宽度随着孕周的增加而有所增加，但与孕周无线性相关 关系，当冠状窦的宽度超过其相应的95%的置信区间时，要结合临床考虑是否有相关疾病导致冠状窦宽度的增宽。     

Omphalocele, advanced maternal age, and fetal morbidity outcomes

In this study we wanted to determine if the risk for adverse neonatal outcome among omphalocele-affected fetuses is increased among older gravidas. This was a retrospective cohort study on live-born infants with omphalocele delivered in New York State from 1983 through 1999. We compared infants of older (>or=35 years) with those of younger (<35 years) mothers with respect to the following fetal morbidity indices: low birth weight and very low birth weight, preterm and very preterm, and small for gestational age. We used adjusted odds ratios to approximate relative risks. Data on a total of 1,010 infants with omphalocele were analyzed. Mean gestational age and birth weight were similar in both maternal age categories: mean+/-standard deviation (SD) for infants with omphalocele born to older mothers=37.4 weeks+/-3.9 versus 38.0 weeks+/-5.1 for those of younger mothers (P=0.2); mean birth weights+/-SD for infants with omphalocele born to older mothers=2,813+/-871.1 versus 2,958+/-809.9 for those of younger mothers (P=0.08). Also, the two maternal age sub-groups did not differ with respect to the fetal morbidity outcome: low birth weight (OR=0.95; 95% CI=0.60-1.51), very low birth weight (OR=0.78; 95% CI=0.36-1.69), preterm (OR=0.95; 95% CI=0.58-1.57), very preterm (OR=0.73; 95% CI=0.34-1.58), and SGA (OR=1.00; 95% CI=0.44-2.27). Thus, advanced maternal age does not appear to be a risk factor for fetal morbidity outcomes among omphalocele-affected fetuses. This information is potentially useful in counseling affected parents.     

Early maturation of force production in pig tracheal smooth muscle during fetal development.

The contractility of airway smooth muscle is fully established at late term at birth but its responsiveness during fetal life has not been defined. In this study, the contractile force of airway smooth muscle to acetylcholine (ACh), K+ depolarizing solution, and electrical field stimulation (EFS) was measured in tracheas from small fetal pigs. Contraction to either agonist and to EFS was detectable in fetuses of as low as 9 g body weight, which corresponds to approximately 36 days of gestation. Isometric force increased progressively with age, reaching 4.1 +/- 0.4 mN for K+ and 5.8 +/- 0.5 mN for ACh (10(-4) M) at 600 g fetal weight (90 days). However, when normalized for cross sectional area of smooth muscle, the stress was essentially the same from 17- to 600-g fetuses. (K+: 17 g = 74.4 +/- 10.6 mN/mm2, 600 g = 89.3 +/- 13.0 mN/mm2; ACh [10(-4) M]: 17 g = 76.3 +/- 16.0 mN/mm2, 600 g = 127.0 +/- 13.0 mN/mm2). The sensitivities of the various groups to ACh were not significantly different (e.g., EC50: 30 g = 4.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(-6) M, 600 g = 3.7 +/- 1.1 x 10(-6) M). EFS produced frequency-dependent contractile responses in all groups. With increasing fetal size, there was a corresponding increase in force. When this force was normalized to a maximum ACh response (10(-4) M), there was no significant difference between groups of fetuses. Histologic examination showed the major tissue components of the trachea were present in fetuses above 7 g. Immunocytochemistry detected myosin, caldesmon, and filamin in the smooth muscle from fetuses of 7 g and above, showing that contractile and actin-binding proteins were present from a very early age. It is concluded that smooth muscle contractile function is well developed very early in fetal life in pigs.     

Early rapid growth,early birth: Accelerated fetal growth and spontaneous late preterm birth

The past two decades in the United States have seen a 24% rise in spontaneous late preterm delivery (34–36 weeks) of unknown etiology. This study tested the hypothesis that fetal growth was identical prior to spontaneous preterm (n = 221, median gestational age at birth 35.6 weeks) and term (n = 3706) birth among pregnancies followed longitudinally in Santiago, Chile. The hypothesis was not supported: Preterm‐delivered fetuses were significantly larger than their term‐delivered peers by mid‐second trimester in estimated fetal weight, head, limb, and abdominal dimensions, and they followed different growth trajectories. Piecewise regression assessed time‐specific differences in growth rates at 4‐week intervals from 16 weeks. Estimated fetal weight and abdominal circumference growth rates slowed at 20 weeks among the preterm‐delivered, only to match and/or exceed their term‐delivered peers at 24–28 weeks. After an abrupt growth rate decline at 28 weeks, fetuses delivered preterm did so at greater population‐specific sex and age‐adjusted birth weight percentiles than their peers from uncomplicated pregnancies (P < 0.01). Growth rates predicted birth timing: one standard score of estimated fetal weight increased the odds ratio for late preterm birth from 2.8 prior to 23 weeks, to 3.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.82–7.11, P < 0.05) between 23 and 27 weeks. After 27 weeks, increasing size was protective (OR: 0.56, 95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.82, P = 0.003). These data document, for the first time, a distinctive fetal growth pattern across gestation preceding spontaneous late preterm birth, identify the importance of mid‐gestation for alterations in fetal growth, and add perspective on human fetal biological variability. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Morphometric study of the ductus arteriosus during human development

During prenatal life, the ductus arteriosus connects the left pulmonary artery and the descending aorta. Morphometric features (length, external diameter, volume) of the ductus arteriosus in 131 human fetuses (65 males, 66 females) were studied by means of anatomical, digital and statistical methods. Regression analysis was used to investigate the growth of the ductus arteriosus during gestation. The values of the length of the ductus arteriosus ranged from 3.95 mm for the 15 week gestational group to 12.20 mm for the 34th week of gestation. The length of the ductus arteriosus related to fetal age (x) increased according to the linear function y = -3.0726 + 0.4381x. The mean values of the diameter of the ductus arteriosus ranged from 1.34 to 3.49mm for the 15 and 34 week gestational groups, respectively. The growth of the ductus arteriosus diameter followed in accordance with the linear function y = 0.2072 + 0.0935x. The mean values of the ductus arteriosus volume ranged from 5.08 mm3 for the 15 week group to 117.30 mm3 of the 34 week gestation group. The volume growth increased according to the function y = 0.0007x3.3782. Positive correlation coefficients between arterial parameters and fetal age were statistically significant (P < or = 0.01) and reached the following values: r1 = 0.98 for Length, r2 = 0.90 for diameter and r3 = 0.94 for volume. Despite the increase in absolute diameter, the relative diameter of the ductus arteriosus (ductus arteriosus-to-aortic bulb diameter ratio) decreased from 0.80 to 0.48.     

A polymorphism in the CYP17 gene and intrauterine fetal growth restriction

Intrauterine fetal growth restriction is a multifactorial disorder, and its aetiology includes both environmental and genetic components. We aimed to investigate whether maternal genetic polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes affects fetal growth and pregnancy duration. Genomic DNA was obtained from 134 women who experienced singleton deliveries beyond 24 weeks of gestation. Maternal age, birth weight, gestational age at birth and frequencies of fetal growth restriction, prematurity and pregnancy-induced hypertension were compared among genotypic subgroups of cytochrome p450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. The polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (MspI), CYP17 (MspAI) and GSTP1 (BsmAI) genotypes, and the presence or absence of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were analysed by PCR-based methods. The frequency of fetal growth restriction (<10th percentile/<-1.5 SD; 22.7%/11.4%) in 44 women who were homozygous for the A1 allele (A1A1) of CYP17 was significantly higher than that (7.8%/2.2%) in 90 women who carried the A2 allele (A1A2/A2A2) of CYP17 (P < 0.05), with an odds ratio =3.41 (95% confidence interval = 1.18-9.84). The gestational age at birth (mean +/- SD, 37.5 +/- 3.1 weeks) in 67 women with GSTM1 null genotype was significantly lower than that (38.5 +/- 2.4 weeks) in 67 women who carried GSTM1 (P < 0.05). The polymorphism of CYP17 that encodes the cytochrome p450c17alpha enzyme might be associated with the pathophysiology underlying fetal growth restriction.     

Early prediction of severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome

This extended series of 303 monochorionic twin pregnancies examined at 10-14 weeks gestation explores the possible association of increased fetal nuchal translucency thickness (NT) in the early prediction of severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTS). Of 303 pregnancies, there were 16 in which at least one fetus was structurally or chromosomally abnormal and in the remaining 287 ongoing pregnancies there were 43 (15%) which developed severe TTS. The median fetal NT was 1.0 multiples of the median (MOM) and NT was >95th centile in 47 (8.2%) fetuses and in at least one fetus in 37 (12.9%) pregnancies. The prevalence of increased NT in the pregnancies that developed TTS [17.4% (n = 15) of fetuses and 28% (n = 12) of pregnancies] was significantly higher than in the non-TTS group [6.6% (n = 32) and 10.2% (n = 25) respectively; Z: = -3.4, P: < 0.001 and Z: = 3.2, P: < 0.001 respectively], likelihood ratio of increased fetal NT for prediction of TTS = 3.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9-6.2]. In 153 of the pregnancies, an ultrasound examination was also performed at 15-17 weeks gestation and intertwin membrane folding was seen in 49 (32%) cases; 21 of these (43%) subsequently developed TTS compared to two (1.9%) of the 104 pregnancies without membrane folding (Z: = 6.6, P: < 0.001), likelihood ratio of membrane folding for prediction of TTS = 4.2 (95% CI 3.0-6.0).     

Equine uteroplacental metabolism at mid- and late gestation

Uptakes of oxygen, glucose and lactate by the gravid uterus, fetus and uteroplacental tissues were measured in chronically catheterized pregnant ponies and their fetuses at mid- and late gestation (term 335 days). Rates of O2 uptake by the gravid uterus, fetus and uteroplacental tissues were significant at both gestational ages and were 2- to 3-fold higher in late gestation than the mid-gestation values of 3338+/-794, 1352+/-258 and 2035 +/- 602 micromol min(-1), respectively (n = 4). Similarly, there were significant uptakes of glucose by the gravid uterus, fetus and uteroplacental tissues at both mid- and late gestation. However, unlike O2 uptake, glucose uptake by the uterus and uteroplacental tissues did not increase between mid- and late gestation. No significant uptakes or outputs of lactate were observed by the uterus or uteroplacental tissues at either gestational age, although there was a significant umbilical uptake of lactate in late but not mid-gestation. There was no change in the distribution of uterine O2 uptake between the fetus and uteroplacental tissues with increasing gestational age. The uteroplacental tissues accounted for about 50 % of the uterine O2 uptake at both gestational ages. In contrast, the proportion of the uterine glucose uptake used by the uteroplacental tissues decreased from 73.2+/-2.1 % (n = 5) at mid-gestation to 61.1+/-1.9 % (n = 4, P<0.02) in late gestation. The gestational changes in uteroplacental carbohydrate metabolism in the mare differ from those seen in the ewe and may have important consequences for the duration and outcome of pregnancy in the mare.     

The relation of markers of fetal growth with asthma, allergies and serum immunoglobulin E levels in children at age 5–7 years

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that fetal growth and maturation have an impact on the development of allergic diseases later in life. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between measures of fetal growth and allergic disease in children at age 5-7 years. METHODS: As part of the German International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood phase II surveys, a random sample of school beginners (n=1138) was examined in 1995. Data on anthropometric measures at birth and gestational age were obtained from maternal copies of birth records. Data on symptoms and doctor-diagnosed asthma, atopic dermatitis and hayfever were gathered by parental questionnaires. Atopic sensitization was assessed by serum IgE and skin prick tests to common aeroallergens. Children (741) had complete data for the explanatory variables of interest and were thus eligible for this analysis. Confounder-adjusted prevalence odds ratios (PORs) and means ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using multiple logistic and linear regression. RESULTS: Birth weight and gestational age were positively associated with atopic sensitization (Ptrend=0.025 and 0.035, respectively). Children with a low birth weight relative to head circumference had a decreased risk of sensitization (POR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.91; Ptrend=0.020). Moreover, total serum IgE increased with increasing birth weight (Ptrend=0.042). No consistent relationship was observed between markers of fetal growth and wheezing, doctor-diagnosed asthma, atopic dermatitis and hayfever. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that fetal growth and maturity are associated with atopic sensitization and total serum IgE levels in childhood.     

胎儿标本胸12椎体水平椎管发育的CT影像研究

目的 CT影像测量胎儿标本胸12椎体(T₁₂)水平正常椎管的形态、大小,并分析其随胎龄增长的发育趋势。方法 利用64排螺旋CT对30例23～40孕周脊柱发育正常的胎儿标本进行扫描,并以T₁₂椎体中份水平为中心进行3D重建,在T₁₂椎体中份水平横断面图像上观察T₁₂椎管的正常形态,使用Image J软件测量椎管的前后径、左右径和面积,计算出各胎龄所测径线的平均值,并对所测数据和胎龄作回归分析,分析其随胎龄增长的发育趋势。结果 T₁₂水平椎管可以清晰显示,呈类圆形,并随胎龄逐渐增大,其前后径、左右径及面积均随胎龄呈线性增长,线性回归方程分别为:＾Y_{椎管前后径}(mm)=0.126+0.26×X_胎龄(周),R²=0.857, P<0.01 ;＾Y_{椎管左右径}(mm)=-0.411+0.274×X_胎龄(周),R²=0.822,P<0.01;＾Y_椎管面积(mm²)=-52.09+3.43×X_胎龄(周),R²=0.911,P<0.01。结论 CT可清晰显示胎儿T₁₂椎体水平椎管形态;T₁₂水平椎管各径线的大小与胎龄有良好的相关性,可以用来评估胎儿脊柱发育。     

Postmortem and intravital study of the human heart in prenatal ontogenesis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of the heart in human fetuses at weeks 18-40 of intrauterine development. The investigation included 2 series of observations: 182 hearts were taken from the fetuses at autopsy, while 58 hearts were studied in living fetuses by ultrasonography of the pregnant women. The following parameters were assessed: heart length and width, atrial and ventricular width, diameter of the aorta. The dimensions of the fetal heart were found to grow in proportion to the gestational age, however the growth of individual heart structures was nonuniform. Both intravital and posthumous investigations have established that in the fetuses of this gestational age the width of the right chambers of the heart prevailed over that of the left chambers.     

Natural history of oral papillomavirus infections in spouses: a prospective Finnish HPV Family Study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of genital human papillomavirus infection is well known, but nearly nothing is known about the outcome of oral HPV-infection. OBJECTIVES AND STUDY DESIGN: To study natural history of oral HPV in spouses during the follow-up 331 women (mean 25.5+/-3.4 years) and 131 men (mean 28.8+/-5.0 years) were recruited from maternity unit. Scrapings from healthy oral mucosa of spouses at baseline, 2, 6, 12 and 24 months and genital samples were taken for HPV testing. HPV DNA was detected by nested PCR and confirmed by hybridization using a cocktail of 12 high-risk (HR) oligoprobes. RESULTS: The detection rate of HR HPVs varied from 15% to 27%. Baseline oral HPV status between the spouses was closely related (odds ratio 4.3; 95% confidence interval 1.6-12.0; P=0.006). Persistent oral infection in one spouse was a significant risk factor (odds ratio 10.0; 95% confidence interval 1.5-68.7; P=0.005) for oral HR HPV persistence in the other partner. Cumulative incidence of new HR HPV infections was identical in both spouses, while men seemed to clear their infection more rapidly. In univariate survival analysis, the partner's oral or genital HPV status, oral sex habits or age did not predict clearance or acquisition of oral HR HPV. CONCLUSION: Natural history of HPV infection in oral mucosa mimics that of genital HPV infection. Oral sex had no association to oral HPV infection, but a persistent oral HPV infection of the spouse increased the risk of persistent oral HPV infection 10-fold in the other spouse.     

Teratogenic effects of clomiphene, tamoxifen, and diethylstilbestrol on the developing human female genital tract

The potential estrogenicity and teratogenicity of triphenylethylene antiestrogens were examined in 54 genital tracts isolated from 4- to 19-week-old human female fetuses and grown for 1 to 2 months in untreated athymic nude mice or host mice treated by subcutaneous pellet with the antiestrogens clomiphene and tamoxifen or the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES). In specimens grown to a gestational age equivalent of 15 weeks or less, the vagina and urogenital sinus were lined by an immature squamous epithelium, which were similar in both drug-treated and untreated specimens. Proliferation and maturation of the squamous vaginal epithelium were observed in specimens treated with clomiphene, tamoxifen, or DES only when grown to a gestational age equivalent of 16 weeks or more. Formation of endometrial and cervical glands proceeded in 87 per cent (13 of 15) of control specimens grown to a gestational age equivalent of 13 weeks or more in untreated hosts. By contrast, age-matched drug-treated specimens contained glands in only 44 per cent (12 of 27) of specimens. In the developing uterine corpus of untreated controls, the uterine mesenchyme segregated into inner (endometrial stroma) and outer (myometrial) layers; whereas in drug-treated specimens, condensation and segregation of the mesenchyme were greatly impaired. The fallopian tube was also affected by clomiphene and tamoxifen (and to a lesser extent by DES) in that its epithelium was hyperplastic and disorganized. The complex mucosal plications characteristic of the fallopian tube were also distorted in drug-treated specimens. These results emphasize the heretofore unrecognized estrogenicity and potential teratogenicity of triphenylethylene antiestrogens on the developing human genital tract and emphasize the need for caution to prevent inadvertent exposure of the developing fetus to these compounds.     

The growth of the upper and lower extremities of Turkish fetuses during the fetal period

Prenatal analysis of the fetal structures gives us information about fetal growth and gestational age. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphologic structure of the upper and lower extremities of Turkish fetuses during the fetal period, to measure the morphometric values, and to determine the relationship between CRL (crown-rump length) and growth of the foot. In this study, 106 human fetuses (56 males, 50 females) without external anomalies and aged between 10-40 post-menstrual weeks (PMW) were studied. In the upper extremity, the width of shoulder and the length of the arms, forearms and hands were measured. In the lower extremity, the width of the iliac crest, knee condyles, feet, and heels and the length of the thighs, legs and feet were measured. A significant correlation was found between all parameters taken within the fetal period and PMW (p < 0.001). Statistically significant correlations found between foot-growth measurements and fetal parameters indicate that foot length may be a good predictor of age. The measurements of the upper and lower extremities during fetal period are a reliable parameter for use in the assessment of gestational age. These measurements are particularly useful when other parameters do not accurately predict gestational age in some cases such as hydrocephalus, anencephaly, short-limb dysplasia. Our opinion is that the measurements can be useful to assess gestational age in several fields such as anatomy, pathologic anatomy (fetopathology), forensic medicine, medical imaging, obstetrics and pediatrics.     

Allometric growth of the adrenal gland in Brazilian fetuses

The growth of the adrenal gland was studied in 60 brazilian fetuses (12-37 weeks post-conception). The right adrenal gland was quantitatively evaluated; its weight, length and thickness were correlated to the fetal body weight, to the Crown-Pump length and to the gestational age by the allometric method (LogY = kLogX + LogB). The width was the only linear measure with positive allometry, and was the one which presented the greatest relative growth, while the thickness had the smallest one. The adrenal weight presented positive allometry relating to the Crown-Rump length (k = 2.32) and to the gestational age (k = 2.40). The importance of these knowledges in the precocious ultrasonographic diagnosis of congenital adrenal pathologies is discussed.     

Pregnancy outcome of fetuses with trisomy 18 identified by prenatal sonography and chromosomal analysis in a perinatal center

To investigate the pregnancy outcome of fetuses affected with trisomy 18, we analyzed 63 cases diagnosed at our hospital from January 1993 to December 2004. Twenty-nine were males and 34 were females. Fifty-eight were prenatally diagnosed, and in 16 (27.6%) of them intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) occurred between 28 weeks and 41 weeks gestation (34.6 +/- 3.9 weeks, Mean +/- SD). Ten (17.2%) fetuses died during labor and their age ranged from 30 weeks to 40 weeks of gestation. The total number of cases ending in fetal demise was 26 (44.8%) and the mean gestational age at the time of fetal demise was 35.0 +/- 3.6 weeks (Mean +/- SD). All liveborn infants (n = 36) were born after 31 weeks gestation. In our study the preterm birth ratio for trisomy 18 is 34.8%, which is much higher than the ratio for the general population. Females are more likely than males to be long-term survivors. These data are helpful in the counseling of parents faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to continue a pregnancy with a fetus affected with trisomy 18.     

超声检测胎儿胼胝体发育及畸形

目的探讨产前超声检测胎儿胼胝体发育及诊断胼胝体发育不全（ACC）的价值。方法应用彩色超声诊断仪测量621例孕20～40周正常单胎胎儿胼胝体长度、宽度及厚度,并与孕周（GA）进行相关回归分析比较。对15例产前超声诊断并经产后随访证实的ACC胎儿声像图特征进行回顾性总结和分析。结果胎儿胼胝体各径线与孕周呈正相关。结论超声产前检查诊断胎儿胼胝体发育不全具有较高的临床价值。     

DNA repair gene XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism is associated with increased risk of uterine leiomyoma

BACKGROUND: DNA repair gene XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism has been associated with the risk of several human tumours. In the present study we investigated whether the XRCC1 polymorphism is related to the risk of uterine leiomyoma, the most common neoplasm of the female genital tract. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-seven patients with uterine leiomyoma and 197 normal controls were enrolled, and XRCC1 genotyping was determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: The proportions of individuals homozygous for 399Arg allele, heterozygous and homozygous for the 399Gln allele were 85.8%, 13.7% and 0.5% among the control group, and 46.2%, 53.2% and 0.6% in those with leiomyoma (P < 0.001), respectively. Logistic regression analysis (after adjusting for age, parity, menarche age and body mass index) showed a significant increased risk of uterine leiomyoma in women with the Arg/Gln genotype versus the Arg/Arg genotype (odds ratio 6.79; 95% confidence interval 4.20-10.99; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In Korean women, the 399Gln polymorphism of XRCC1 is associated with an increased risk of uterine leiomyoma.     

Clinical atopy and associated factors in primary-school pupils

To investigate potential risk factors for clinical atopy in childhood, we obtained cross-sectional data from a cohort of 1376 8-year-old pupils. Parental atopy (hay fever, asthma, eczema), gestational age, maternal smoking habits, and the child's history of asthma, hay fever, and eczema were ascertained by questionnaire. Combining the history and the result of a skin prick test using seven aeroallergens, we defined the child's atopic diseases. Of the population evaluated, 25.4% were categorized as atopic (10.2% allergic asthma, 17.3% eczema, 6.9% hay fever). As compared with the clear nonatopics (40.2%), parental atopic diseases were more prevalent in each of the atopic groups. Significant associations of the parents' and child's disease were obvious for eczema and hay fever. Low gestational age (LGA) was more frequent in children with any atopy or with an allergic asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-2.97; OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.5-5.4). Hay fever and allergic asthma occurred less frequently in girls (OR 0.5; 95% confidence interval 0.3-0.8; OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-0.9). In conclusion, our data underline the importance of parental atopy for the clinical outcome in the offspring. In addition, LGA appears to be a risk factor for allergic asthma and for general atopy in later life.