Pregnancy loss ascribable to parvovirus B19/erythrovirus is associated with a high prevalence of trisomy.

Introduction: In most cases of stillbirth, the cause is still unknown.

Aim: The impact of parvovirus B19/erythrovirus infection and chromosomal abnormalities in stillborns and neonatal deaths.

Material And Methods: 57 consecutive cases, 23 second-trimester abortions (from gestational weeks 16 to 22), 27 intrauterine fetal deaths (from gestational week 22 onwards) and 7 early neonatal deaths were examined for intrauterine parvovirus B19 infection with PCR, dot blot, Southern blot, in situ hybridization, specific IgM and IgG antibodies in maternal serum, fetal serum, placenta and fetal liver tissue.

A simple screening method for detection of Klinefelter syndrome and other X-chromosome aneuploidies based on copy number of the androgen receptor gene.

Due to the high prevalence and variable phenotype of patients with Klinefelter syndrome, there is a need for a robust and rapid screening method allowing early diagnosis. Here, we report on the development and detailed clinical validation of a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR)-based method of the copy number assessment of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, located to Xq11.2-q12.

No difference in clinical outcome after posterolateral lumbar fusion between patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis and those with degenerative disc disease using pedicle screw instrumentation: a comparative study of 112 patients with 4 years of follow-up.

We compared the clinical outcome after spinal fusion between patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis and those with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, using multiple logistic regression analysis. A questionnaire describing medication, pain, vocational status and patient satisfaction was mailed to all the patients at a median interval of 4 years after their operation. Fusion was evaluated on plain radiographs at a minimum of 12 months after surgery, and patients were classified as fused or not fused.

Clinical tolerance of methylene blue virus-inactivated plasma. A randomized crossover trial in 12 healthy human volunteers.

Objectives: Baxter's methylene blue (MB) photoinactivation of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is a method that effectively removes any intracellular potentially infectious agent, such as prions, by filtration combined with an improved photochemical virus inactivation on a single unit of FFP. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate clinical and biochemical tolerance of MB-treated plasma in healthy human volunteers.

Methods: The design was a crossover randomized trial.