[Myositis-specific antibodies associated with juvenile dermatomyositis].

Background: Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune disease associated with typical skin changes and muscle weakness. Within the framework of the diagnostics, myositis-associated (MAA) and myositis-specific antibodies (MSA) can be detected. These are important for the assessment of the course of the disease and the prognosis.

Preferential streaming of the ductus venosus and inferior caval vein towards the right heart is associated with left heart underdevelopment in human fetuses with left-sided diaphragmatic hernia.

Objective: Left heart underdevelopment is commonly observed in fetuses with left diaphragmatic hernia. This finding has been attributed to compression of the left atrium by herniated abdominal organs, redistribution of fetal cardiac output and/or low pulmonary venous return. As preferential right or left heart underdevelopment is usually not a feature of right diaphragmatic hernia, we searched for an alternative mechanism.

Intrathoracic herniation of the liver ('liver-up') is associated with predominant left heart hypoplasia in human fetuses with left diaphragmatic hernia.

Objectives: Left heart hypoplasia is commonly observed in fetuses with left diaphragmatic hernia. Because in this condition intrathoracic herniation of the liver serves as an important predictor for postnatal disease severity, we studied its potential association with left heart hypoplasia.

Methods: We prospectively assessed 32 fetuses with left diaphragmatic hernia between 19 + 6 and 38 + 6 weeks of gestation using echocardiography.