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Biomedical subjects

E A Reece

Publications and source records attributed to E A Reece.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Estimated fetal weight in the evaluation of growth in twin gestations: a prospective longitudinal study.

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in order to determine by sonographically estimated fetal weight the patterns of fetal growth in twins. Thirty-five healthy women with normal twin pregnancies were examined every three weeks from the 15th week of gestation to delivery. Among the measurements obtained were the biparietal diameter (BPD), the abdominal circumference, and the calculated fetal weight. From 15-28 weeks, the growth velocity of the BPD and abdominal circumference remained fairly constant, with a steady increase in incremental growth. Beyond this age, we observed a slowing in growth of the BPD, while the abdominal circumference continued at a constant rate. The growth velocity of the weight steadily increased throughout pregnancy. Although greater biologic variability in weight between twin A and B was observed as gestational age progressed, the overall mean weights of twin A and B were not statistically different. We have generated a nomogram of fetal weight gain throughout pregnancy.

Body Height

Severe fetomaternal hemorrhage. A report of four cases.

Four cases of severe fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH) presented with severe anemia and signs of circulatory failure. One of the patients developed the syndrome of persistent fetal circulation. The diagnosis of FMH was confirmed in all using Kleihauer-Betke tests, which demonstrated abundant fetal erythrocytes in the maternal circulation. Three infants survived after prompt volume replacement and correction of anemia. The only fatality was related to an underlying chromosomal disorder. The majority of reported neonatal deaths due to FMH have occurred when shock was the presenting manifestation.

Adult

Persistent pulmonary hypertension: assessment of perinatal risk factors.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate, a disease of unknown etiology, is associated with a mortality rate as high as 50%. We conducted a retrospective study (1979-1983) to identify antenatal events that may be associated with this disease. Thirty-seven mothers of neonates with this disorder were compared with 150 randomly selected control patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed that meconium, maternal fever (caused by urinary tract infection, upper respiratory infection, chorioamnionitis, and unknown causes), maternal anemia (caused by abruptio placentae, placenta previa, and unknown causes), and maternal pulmonary disease (caused by asthma and/or pneumonia) were associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate. The computed odds ratios for the variables associated with this disease were increased significantly above the controls. In addition, cesarean section, nonvertex presentation, fetal distress, and vaginal bleeding were found to be significant on univariate analyses. The cesarean section rate in the study group was 59%, with the primary indications of fetal distress and/or third-trimester bleeding in 77.3% of instances. These data suggest that antenatal risk factors and the computed odds ratio may help identify pregnancies likely to produce infants at high risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate.

Asphyxia Neonatorum

A randomized clinical trial of the insulin pump vs intensive conventional therapy in diabetic pregnancies.

Improved perinatal outcome is associated with the prevention of hyperglycemia during pregnancy in diabetic women. To determine whether the method of insulin administration influences the degree of diabetic control obtained, we randomized 22 pregnant diabetic women to intensive conventional insulin therapy (N = 11) and insulin pump therapy (N = 11). Frequent outpatient visits; home glucose monitoring, at least six times daily; and frequent telephone contact were offered to all subjects. Patients were hospitalized in the inpatient clinical research center each trimester for a 24-hour metabolic profile. There were no differences between the two treatment groups with respect to outpatient mean glucose levels, symptomatic hypoglycemia, or glycosylated hemoglobin levels, or with respect to inpatient mean glucose level, glycemic excursions, chemical hypoglycemia, or hyperglycemia. Excellent metabolic control was achieved with both treatment methods.

Adult

Yolk sac failure in embryopathy due to hyperglycemia: ultrastructural analysis of yolk sac differentiation associated with embryopathy in rat conceptuses under hyperglycemic conditions.

Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of various congenital anomalies that occur during organogenesis. Because a well functioning yolk sac is crucial to embryonic growth and development during this period, we performed an ultrastructural study of the effects of excess glucose (total glucose 750 mg/dl, osmolality 305 mOsm/kg) on pregnancy day 10 (Witschi stage 13) rat conceptuses cultured for 48 hr in heat-inactivated male rat serum with and without added d- or l-glucose. Embryos exposed to excess d-glucose demonstrated decreased conceptus size (P less than 0.001), and gross malformations in a dose-related fashion. The visceral yolk sac capillaries and vitelline vessels of conceptuses in excess d-glucose were sparse, patchy, and nonuniformly located. Ultrastructurally, the visceral yolk sac endodermal cells had reduced numbers of rough endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, and mitochondria. These obvious defects in yolk sac structure suggest that hyperglycemia during organogenesis has a primary deleterious effect on yolk sac function with resultant embryopathy.

Animals

Prenatal diagnosis of craniofacial malformations with ultrasonography.

Although the utility of ultrasound in the prenatal diagnosis of many congenital anomalies is well established, its accuracy in detecting craniofacial malformations has not been examined in a large series. Sonographic examinations of 223 patients at risk for fetuses with craniofacial malformations were performed between 18 and 40 weeks. The risk factors included a familial history of craniofacial malformations, extrafacial anomalies diagnosed on ultrasound, fetal chromosomal aberrations, and maternal drug intake. Sonographic diagnosis was possible in 151 (67.7%) patients on the first scan and in 47 (21.1%) patients on the second scan and was not possible in 25 patients (11.2%). Of the 198 cases diagnosed antenatally, craniofacial malformation was detected in 14 and confirmed postnatally. No false positive diagnoses were made. A negative diagnosis of craniofacial malformation was made in 184 cases with two false negative results (1.0%). Anomalies diagnosed sonographically included anophthalmia, anterior cleft lip and/or palate, hypotelorism, hypertelorism, and micrognathia. The results of this study demonstrate that ultrasound is an accurate and reliable tool for the prenatal diagnosis of craniofacial malformations.

Face

Coronary artery disease in diabetic pregnancies.

Severe vascular complications of diabetes mellitus include myocardial infarction and when this occurs during pregnancy it is associated with a high risk of maternal mortality. In the absence of myocardial infarction, information is unavailable on pregnancy outcome in diabetic patients with severe coronary artery disease or with prior coronary artery bypass graft. Such a case is presented together with a review of the literature.

Adult

The prenatal diagnosis of Robin anomalad.

The Robin anomalad was diagnosed by the sonographic detection of polyhydramnios and fetal micrognathia in a patient at risk because of a previously affected child. Ultrasound in the second trimester failed to demonstrate any facial anomaly, but mandibular hypoplasia was clearly documented in the third trimester. The antenatal diagnosis allowed immediate neonatal assistance to prevent glossoptosis-induced respiratory failure.

Adult

Arachidonic acid prevents hyperglycemia-associated yolk sac damage and embryopathy.

Light microscopic, electron microscopic, and morphometric studies were performed on rat conceptuses cultured between day 10 and day 12 in normal, hyperglycemic, arachidonic acid-supplemented normal, and arachidonic acid-supplemented hyperglycemic rat serum. The results were compared with those of 12-day-old conceptuses grown in utero. No major differences were observed between in vivo and in vitro control conceptuses. Arachidonic acid supplementation of control culture medium resulted in an improvement of conceptus development. Addition of 20 micrograms/ml of arachidonic acid to an otherwise teratogenic hyperglycemic serum medium (950 mg/dl of D-glucose) prevented the malformations induced by hyperglycemic conditions: open neural tube, advanced neuropil formation in the neuroepithelium, significant reduction of rough endoplasmic reticulum, decreased size and number of lipid droplets, and increased number of lysosome-like structures in the visceral endodermal yolk sac cells.

Animals

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling in the management of Kell isoimmunization.

As the use of Rhesus immune globulin has decreased the incidence of Rh sensitization, other red blood cell antigen systems have become relatively more common. The most common of these is the Kell antigen, which often produces unexpectedly severe fetal disease. High-resolution ultrasound was used to guide in the sampling of fetal blood directly from the umbilical cord as an aid in the management of these patients.

Adult

Intrapartum fetal weight estimation: a comparison of three formulae.

To determine the relative accuracy of fetal weight estimation using the biparietal diameter (BPD), the abdominal circumference (AC), and the femur length (FL) in three formulae (BPD/AC, FL/AC, and BPD/AC/FL), 63 patients in labor were examined. All patients delivered within 24 hours of ultrasound examination. A good correlation was found between the estimated fetal weight and the actual birth weight, using the three formulae: BPD/AC (r = 0.96); FL/AC (r = 0.95); and BPD/AC/FL (r = 0.96). The FL/AC formula overestimated fetal weight (P less than 0.01), however, particularly in fetuses weighing more than 2000 g. The mean percentage error with the BPD/AC formula was 0.99 per cent, 3.82 per cent with the FL/AC, and 2.43 per cent with the BPD/AC/FL formula. This study showed that although all three formulae were comparable, the best estimation of the birth weight was obtained when either the BPD/AC or the BPD/AC/FL formulae were used. Additionally, the results demonstrate that reliable estimates of fetal weight can be made even at term or in laboring patients.

Birth Weight

Diabetic embryopathy: pathogenesis, prenatal diagnosis and prevention.

In spite of the overall improvement in the management of diabetic pregnancies, congenital anomalies among infants of diabetic mothers still remain two to three times higher than in the nondiabetic population. Approximately 40 per cent of all perinatal deaths among diabetic offspring are due to congenital malformations. This article reviews the subject and discusses current views on pathogenesis, based on human and experimental work, describes methods available for prenatal diagnosis, and suggests an approach to the possible prevention of these malformations.

Congenital Abnormalities

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling.

This report describes a technique for the performance of a sonographically guided percutaneous umbilical blood sampling and its potential uses in the management of diagnostic problems in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. The method has been employed in the prenatal assessment of 13 fetuses at risk for hemostatic failure (hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), chromosomal disorders, isoimmunization, and fetal hypoxia. This simple and rapid procedure offers access to the fetal circulation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Adult

Antenatal diagnosis of renal anomalies with ultrasound. III. Bilateral renal agenesis.

Bilateral renal agenesis is a lethal congenital anomaly. A reliable prenatal diagnosis is extremely important, since it may offer options for pregnancy termination or may change obstetric management in the third trimester. This study examined the accuracy of ultrasound in making an antenatal diagnosis of bilateral renal agenesis in three different populations: (1) patients with a family history of bilateral renal agenesis, (2) patients diagnosed during the course of a routine scan, and (3) patients referred because of a previous suspicious ultrasound examination in a level I ultrasound facility. In group A there were three true positive, 13 true negative, no false negative, and no false positive diagnoses. In group B there were three true positive and no false positive diagnoses. In group C there were 12 true positive, 17 true negative, one false negative, and no false positive diagnoses. The value and potential pitfall of the different diagnostic criteria are discussed. We conclude that ultrasound is a valuable tool in the detection of intrauterine renal failure, although there are limitations to a specific diagnosis of bilateral renal agenesis.

Evaluation Studies as Topic

Sonographic monitoring to guide the performance of postabortal uterine curettage.

This communication describes a technique of sonographically monitored uterine curettage. This method is of particular value in the management of postabortal endomyometritis associated with retained products of conception or in any situation in which anatomic variation (for instance, retroversion) makes curette insertion difficult.

Dilatation and Curettage

Ultrastructural analysis of malformations of the embryonic neural axis induced by in vitro hyperglycemic conditions.

Neural tube defects are the most common malformations associated with diabetic pregnancies. Although the teratogenic effects of excess glucose have been investigated in in vivo and in vivo studies, a cellular basis for neural tube defects has not been elucidated. We used rat embryo culture to study the organogenesis period of development, with excess d-glucose added to the serum medium to induce neural tube anomalies. Light and electron microscopic examination of control 12-day-old embryos grown 48 hours in culture revealed blastlike cells with few organelles or cellular processes. Twelve-day-old embryos cultured in excess d-glucose had advanced cellular maturation with differentiation, including the presence of free polysomes and copious cell processes, regardless of whether they had an open neural tube. Cytoarchitectural changes such as decreased numbers of mitotic figures with mitotic cells in the mantle layer were focally distributed throughout the neural epithelium but with predominance at the site of failed closure. In vivo studies failed to demonstrate neural processes in day 12 normal embryos. Fourteen-day-old embryos grown in utero also had foci of cell processes in the neural tube but to a much lesser degree than that observed in the in vitro day 12 glucose-exposed embryos. The cellular aberrations in the excess d-glucose-treated embryos are characteristic of a premature maturational change. Since they are present in excess d-glucose-exposed embryos with or without failure of neural tube closure, these maturational and cytoarchitectural changes may contribute to the cellular basis for neural tube defects.

Animals