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Biomedical subjects

K Henningsen

Publications and source records attributed to K Henningsen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Atopic dermatitis. A genetic-epidemiologic study in a population-based twin sample.

Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial disease that seems both to rise in frequency and to be dependent on a genetic predisposition. In order to clarify these issues we encircled a representative twin series with atopic dermatitis from a total twin population of 592 like-sexed twin pairs. We found that the cumulative incidence rate (0-7 years) of atopic dermatitis in Denmark has increased significantly from 0.03 for the birth cohort 1960-1964 to 0.10 for the birth cohort 1970-1974, that monozygotic twin pairs are more often concordant for atopic dermatitis than dizygotic twin pairs, that monozygotic twins run a risk of 0.86 of having atopic dermatitis if the twin partner has the disease, whereas the disease risk of 0.21 run by dizygotic partners does not differ from the frequency seen in ordinary brothers and sisters. The results indicate that genetic factors play a decisive role in the development of atopic dermatitis and that widespread environmental factors are operating in genetically susceptible individuals.

Child↗

No fallacies in the formulation of the paternity index.

In a recent publication, Li and Chakravarti claim to have shown that the paternity index is not a likelihood ratio. They present a method of estimating the prior probability of paternity from a sample of previous court cases on the basis of exclusions and nonexclusions. They propose calculating the posterior probability on the basis of this estimated prior and the test result expressed as exclusion/nonexclusion. Their claim is wrong--the paternity index is a likelihood-ratio, that is, the ratio of the likelihood of the observation conditional on the two mutually exclusive hypotheses. Their proposed method of estimating the prior has been long known, has been applied to several samples, and is inferior (in terms of variance of the estimate) to maximum likelihood estimation based on all the phenotypic information available. Their proposed "new method" of calculating a posterior probability is based on the use of a less informative likelihood ratio 1/(1-PE) instead of Gürtler's fully informative paternity index X/Y (Acta Med Leg Soc Liege 9:83-93, 1956), but is otherwise identical to the Bayesian approach originally introduced by Essen-Möller in 1938.

Humans↗

Familial cranial diabetes insipidus: a report of five families. Genetic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.

Five families were studied in which cranial diabetes insipidus occurred. In the pedigrees presented, the disease clearly followed an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Linkage analysis was performed in one large family by calculating lod scores for linkage between loci for cranial diabetes insipidus and 18 polymorphic markers and chromosome heteromorphisms. No significant genetic linkage was found and only one of the polymorphic markers gave a positive hint of linkage. A water deprivation test was performed in nine patients from three of the families and in healthy control subjects. The plasma concentration of arginine vasopressin was very low or undetectable in the patients, and unlike the control subjects did not increase significantly during water deprivation. Arginine vasopressin and serum osmolality (Sosm) were significantly positively correlated in the controls, but not in the patients. The results indicated that an arginine vasopressin-level lower than 2 pg/ml strongly suggests a diagnosis of cranial diabetes insipidus if at the same time Sosm is higher than 295 mosmol/kg. Studies with different intranasal dosages of 1-deamino-D-arginine-vasopressin (DDAVP) given once or twice a day showed that 20 micrograms effectively reduced urinary output and that administration once a day could be sufficient.

Adolescent↗

Linkage and chromosome study of multiple endocrine neoplasia IIa.

A linkage and chromosome investigation of a large family with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) IIa (medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, and occasionally hyperparathyroidism) was undertaken. No significantly positive lodscores were obtained between MEN IIa and 25 different genetic markers. Conventional metaphase chromosome analysis showed normal karyotypes and no heterochromatin markers linked to the MEN IIa locus were found. High-resolution chromosome analysis in five MEN IIa carriers revealed no deletion within band 20p12.2. The present investigation could thus neither demonstrate linkage of the MEN IIa locus to genetic or chromosome markers nor identify chromosome abnormalities in MEN IIa carriers.

Adolescent↗

Psoriasis in monozygotic twins: variations in expression in individuals with identical genetic constitution.

The variation in expression of psoriasis, in individuals with identical genetic constitutions, i.e. monozygotic twins, has been studied in a population-based sample of monozygotic twins in the Danish Twin Register. All verified and probable cases of psoriasis in twins, born between 1891 and 1930 inclusive, were ascertained. Results are presented of an examination of all members of index pairs in which both partners were alive. The zygosity determination was based in 94% of the pairs on very extensive serological examinations. Thirty-two monozygotic pairs were found to include at least one partner with unquestionable psoriasis (18 concordant, 14 discordant). The analyses give firm evidence of the contribution of genetic factors to the manifestation, age at onset, clinical type, course, and severity of psoriasis. A close association between psoriasis and HLA-B 13 an B 17 was found in both discordant and concordant pairs. No difference was found between partners from discordant MZ-pairs with regard to infections or marked 'stress' conditions.

Adolescent↗

Partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 3.

A case of deletion of the short arm of chromosome 3 (46,XY,del(3)(p253) is described. The patient is a youth of 18 years in an institution for the mentally retarded. Phenotypically, he presents congenital heart disease, hypertelorism, ptosis, epicanthus, blepharophimosis, strabismus, nystagmus, synophrys, low-set ears, frequent infections, epilepsy (abnormal EEG and grand mal seizures), "rocker bottom" feet, flat occiput and muscular hypotonia. The parents are healthy and with normal karyotypes. A silent allele in the GPT system was found in the mother, the propositus and 4 of the 5 siblings.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

A study of the linkage relations of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica.

Two large families from the Faroe Islands presenting epidermolysis bullosa of the dystrophic type were subjected to extensive linkage analyses with 22 serological markers. No significant evidence in support of linkage with any of these loci was provided. It was found to be very unlikely that the gene or genes causing the present types of epidermolysis bullosa belong to the EBS1 locus known to be closely linked to the GPT locus.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Metacarpal morphometry in monozygotic dizygotic elderly twins.

The relative importance of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of age related bone loss has been investigated in a study involving 17 monozygotic (MZ) and 8 dizygotic (DZ) pairs of twins aged 64 to 75 years. Radiographic morphometry was performed at the midpoints of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th metacarpals of both hands and the mean total and cortical widths were evaluated. The heritability, h2, was calculated as the difference between the intrapair variances in same sexed DZ and MZ pairs divided by the intrapair variance in DZ pairs. The mean intrapair variance of both total and cortical width was found to be four to five times higher in DZ than in MZ pairs. The differences are highly significant with an h2 value between 0.7 and 0.8, indicating a predominant genetic influence. It is stressed that this result applies only to the population from which the twin sample was drawn.

Aged↗

Successful nonsibling bone marrow transplantation in severe combined immunodeficiency.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was diagnosed in a girl immediately after birth; her older brother had SCID and was successfully reconstituted by bone marrow transplantation from his uncle. She was isolated in a laminar air flow bench and decontaminated. The father differed by one HLA-A antigen but was HLA-Dw2 homozygous like the patient; his lymphocytes showed a slight response to the patient's cells in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). At the age of 2 1/2 months and again at 5 months, she was given a bone marrow transplant from the father. During the entire course the patient had no infections, and apart from a transient eosinophilia she had no signs of graft-versus-host reaction. Immunological reconstitution was nearly complete at 9 months of age, when she was recontaminated. One year later plasma immunoglobulin concentrations are in the low normal range (IgG and IgM) or decreased (IgA); tests of cell-mediated immunity are normal. Apart from slight upper respiratory infections, the patient has been healthy. Physical and psychological development have been normal.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Psoriasis in an unselected series of twins.

The relative importance of genetic factors in the origin, age at onset, clinical type, course, and severity of psoriasis was evaluated on the basis of an unbiased sample of twins, ie, the Danish Twin Register, which covers the total population of twins born in Denmark. All verified and probable cases of psoriasis in twins, born 1891 through 1920, were ascertained. Results are presented of an examination of all members of index pairs in which both partners were alive on a certain date. Fourteen monozygotic and 22 dizygotic, like-sexed pairs were found to include at least one partner with unquestionable psoriasis. Zygosity determination was mainly based on extensive serological examinations. The analyses show that the manifestation of psoriasis depends almost exclusively on the presence of the specific genotype. The age at onset, clinical type, course, and severity are also mainly determined by the genetic constitution. Association with certain HLA antigens of the B series has been confirmed, but the fact that many of the twins (including several of the concordant monozygotic pairs) possess neither of these antigens shows the corresponding genes to be important, but not decisive, elements in the predisposition. We conclude that psoriasis is a genetically determined disorder that may, to a limited extent, be modified by environmental influences.

Adolescent↗

Possible localization of Gc-System on chromosome 4. Loss of long arm 4 material associated with father-child incompatibility within the Gc-System.

A mentally retarded girl with a sporadically occurring B/F translocation was reexamined with new banding techniques. Chromosome material from the long arm of chromosome 4 was inserted into the long arm of chromosome 20. The segment 4q11 leads to q13 was lost. The formerly reported abnormal segregation of the Gc-system was verified. The localization of the Gc-locus on the lost segment cannot be ruled out.

Blood Group Antigens↗

Data on the HL-A linkage group.

Lod scores from a study in 229 families of the linkage relations of HL-A-PGM3 to 19 marker loci and cystic fibrosis are reported. The data exclude that ADA belongs to this linkage group while they give weak support for the inclusion of P. There is weak evidence for linkage of cystic fibrosis to PGM3, but none for linkage to HL-A. No new suggestive linkages appeared.

Blood Group Antigens↗

Amylo-1,60glucosidase deficiency (glycogenosis type III) in the Faroe Islands.

Seven cases of glycogenosis type III (amylo-1,6-glucosidase deficiency) in two probably related families from the Faroe Islands are presented. The group of patients comprised two pairs of sibs. In a total of 78 members of the two families case histories were obtained and clinical examinations, analyses of amylo-1,6-glycosidase activity in erythrocytes and leucocytes, determinations of red cell, serum and enzyme groups as well as HL-A types were performed. In addition, all patients were subjected to studies of liver function. The distribution patients in these families supports the assumption of autosomal recessive inheritance. Heterozygotes could not be diagnosed with certainty by the methods of enzyme activity analysis employed. The incidence of glycogenosis type III with amylo-1,6-glucosidase deficiency was found to be high in the Faroe Islands.

Adolescent↗

Sex-linked hereditary thrombocytopenia with immunological defects.

14 cases of severe thrombocytopenia in one family are presented. Case histories, clinical examination, analyses of platelets, haemoglobin, reticulocytes, leucocytes, eosinophilocytes, differential counts of leucocytes, serum immunoglobulin IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE concentrations, complement fixing platelet antibodies, isohaemagglutinins, colour perception, determination of red cell and serum groups as well as HL-A types were obtained from a total of 59 members of the family. The in vitro blast transformation response of blood lymphocytes was studied in 6 patients and 45 relatives. The pattern of transmission of the disease was in full agreement with X-linked recessive inheritance. Investigation of the immune system revealed impaired responses to microbial antigens in the 6 patients so studied. All relatives examined had normal haematological status, whereas approximately half showed a subnormal response to one microbial extract. The low responders were evenly distributed within the family, and it was not possible to correlate low response and presumed carrier state.

Adolescent↗