Subsequent reproductive outcome in couples with repeated pregnancy loss.

While the role of cytogenetic study in couples with repeated pregnancy loss is well-established, little information is available for counseling these couples concerning future reproductive outcome. Couples evaluated by chromosome analysis for recurrent abortion between 1972 and 1979 were contacted by phone in 1981. Of those studied cytogenetically, 195 couples (50.

Repeated pregnancy loss.

Debate persists over the value of chromosome analysis of couples with repeated pregnancy loss. Therefore, we studied the records of all patients referred to the Genetics Division at Thomas Jefferson University for repeated pregnancy loss. Couples were divided into three groups according to the reason for evaluation.

Four brothers with mental retardation, spastic paraplegia and palmoplantar hyperkeratosis. A new syndrome?

We report a Caucasian family in which four males out of a total of seven siblings are mentally retarded. Three of the affected individuals have spasticity in the lower limbs (spastic paraplegia), pes cavus deformity of both feet and an abnormal gait. In addition, they show palmar and plantar hyperkeratosis.

Fronto-metaphyseal dysplasia. Further delineation of the clinical syndrome.

Fronto-metaphyseal dysplasia is a rare but clinically striking condition characterized by skeletal and other abnormalities. Typical clinical and radiological features of the disease were present in four individuals in the family in this report. One of these, a male, had an obstructive uropathy at birth, making this the fourth male reported with fronto-metaphyseal dysplasia and an associated renal abnormality.

Parental consanguinity and the Majewski syndrome.

We report a female infant with the Majewski syndrome, one of a group of conditions characterised by short ribs, polydactyly, dwarfism, and early neonatal death. This syndrome seems to be extremely rare, with only five well documented cases reported and, including this case, nine recorded in all. The Majewski syndrome is considered to be recessively inherited, and this report adds further support to this hypothesis, as the infant was born to consanguineous parents.

Roberts syndrome: clinical and cytogenetic aspects.

Roberts syndrome is reported in two sibs of consanguineous parents. Both infants had severe tetraphocomelia, facial clefting, and other serious malformations. In addition they were found to have an unusual cytogenetic abnormality with distortion of the normal sister chromatid relationship in many chromosomes.

Location of the gene for 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

HLA typing of 33 families with one or more children suffering from congenital adrenal hyperplasia confirmed that the gene for 21-hydroxylase deficiency is closely associated with the HLA region. Analysis of two families in which recombination of chromosome 6 had occurred indicated that the gene locus is between the A and D loci of the HLA region. The rare allele Bw47 was observed in 18 parents and was always associated with the carrier state for 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

Carrier detection in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Serum creatine kinase, myoglobin, and percentage lymphocyte capping was determined in ten patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 12 carriers (nine definite and three probable), 16 other female relatives, and eight normal controls. There was no detectable difference in lymphocyte capping ability between any of these clinical groups. Significant myoglobinaemia was present in all the affected males, but the difference in levels between carriers and controls suggested that this test has no advantage over creatine kinase estimations in carrier detection.

The effects of red blood cell suspending media on hemagglutination and the antiglobulin test.

Evaluation of the effects of four suspending media for test cells in antibody detection and identification is reported. The media under investigation are normal saline, low ionic strength salt solution, 22% bovine albumin and polymerized albumin. Hemagglutination at 37 C was enhanced in the test systems employing polymerized albumin.

Congenital discoid lupus in the newborn.

A female infant, born to a 21-year-old mother with systemic lupus erythematosus, had cutaneous discoid lupus at birth. The lesions resolved spontaneously over the first few months and by the age of 1 year the infant's skin was normal. Other possible complications of this maternal disease are discussed and the need for caution in counselling mothers is recommended.

Antenatal diagnosis of trisomy 13 with unexpected increase in alpha-feto protein.

A 24-year-old woman who had previously given birth to an infant with Down's syndrome was shown by chromosomal analysis of the liquor amnii to be carrying an infant with trisomy D. Routine examination of serum and liquor alpha-feto protein (AFP) in the antenatal period showed unexpected high levels of both, consistent with a neural tube defect. The fetus, however, did not have evidence of a neural tube defect but had scalp defects which were presumed to have allowed the leakage of AFP from the fetus into the liquor amnii and hance into the maternal serum.