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Biomedical subjects

M Pembrey

Publications and source records attributed to M Pembrey.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Congenital cutis laxa with retardation of growth and development.

Seven patients with congenital cutis laxa are presented. The associated features include developmental delay, joint laxity, wide anterior fontanelle, growth retardation, dental caries, and osteopenia. The heterogeneity and inheritance of congenital cutis laxa are discussed. This particular syndrome appears distinct and is likely to be autosomal recessive in view of the two brother-sister sib pairs in this report.

Child, Preschool↗

Deletion on the X chromosome detected by direct DNA analysis in one of two unrelated boys with glycerol kinase deficiency, adrenal hypoplasia, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

In studies of the X chromosomes of two unrelated boys with adrenal hypoplasia, glycerol kinase deficiency, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and mental retardation, conventional G banding did not reveal any numerical or structural abnormality, but direct DNA analysis with the X short-arm probes 754, C7, and OCT revealed a deletion in 1 of these patients. It is likely that both boys have a deletion at Xp21 affecting a number of closely linked disease-specific gene loci.

Adrenal Insufficiency↗

Seckel syndrome: an overdiagnosed syndrome.

Five children in whom a diagnosis of Seckel syndrome had previously been made were re-examined in the genetic unit. One child had classical Seckel syndrome, a sib pair had the features of the syndrome with less severe short stature, and in two children the diagnosis was not confirmed. Seckel syndrome is only one of a group of low birth weight microcephalic dwarfism and careful attention should be paid to fulfillment of the major criteria defined by Seckel before the diagnosis is made. There remains a heterogeneous group of low birth weight microcephalic dwarfism yet to be defined.

Adolescent↗

Phenotypic variation in LADD syndrome.

A mother and son are reported with chronic dacrocystitis, cup shaped ears, hearing loss, abnormal teeth, and poor formation of saliva and tears. They are similar to previously reported cases of lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) syndrome. The variability of expression of this autosomal dominant syndrome is discussed, and it is suggested that poor saliva and tear formation be added to the phenotype.

Deafness↗

Molecular technology in clinical genetics.

Molecular technology will play an important role in clinical genetics in the near future. In many inherited disorders the recognition of heterogeneity, carrier detection and antenatal diagnosis will be made feasible by these new methods. The basic molecular techniques are reviewed in this article, in order to provide a background for the understanding of their clinical applications.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Hunter's disease in a girl: association with X:5 chromosomal translocation disrupting the Hunter gene.

We describe a 3 year old girl with the typical clinical features of the X linked recessive condition, Hunter's disease. The diagnosis was confirmed by the pattern of urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycans and the absence of iduronate sulphatase activity in her fibroblasts. She also had an apparently balanced reciprocal chromosomal translocation 46XX,t(X:5) with the X breakpoint being between q26 and q27. Pedigree analysis, and the normal iduronate sulphatase activity in the mother's fibroblasts, serum, and hair roots indicate that the affected child represents a new mutation. Since the parents' karyotypes are normal, it seems that the translocation disrupted the iduronate sulphatase gene itself, thus mapping this to Xq26-27 for the first time. The severe clinical features, not expected in a girl, may be explained by non-random X inactivation.

Child, Preschool↗

Sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabs in early childhood.

Haemoglobin electrophoresis screening of 2341 infants from the oases of eastern Saudi Arabia, performed in an attempt to detect cases early and then to follow up and give better management to patients with sickle cell disease, showed 20% with S-trait and 43 with sickle cell disease (37 HbSS and 6 S-beta(0) thalassaemia). On follow-up from birth (or from 3 months) for a mean of 3 1/2 years there was more morbidity and mortality than in matched Saudi Arab controls, but these rates were lower than for affected black infants in the US or Jamaica. Serial haemoglobin levels were l g/dl lower than for controls; height and weight increases were the same. Mean fetal haemoglobin level was 32% at 4-5 years. Half of a subsample of 23 cases had evidence of coexistent alpha-thalassaemia which appeared to protect against functional asplenia, judged by the presence of Howell-Jolly bodies; however there was no difference in degree of anaemia or clinical course. Early screening is recommended for infants at risk for sickle cell disease, and comprehensive care should be given even if the infant has the less severe type.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗