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Biomedical subjects

T M Ko

Publications and source records attributed to T M Ko.

86 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Reduced doses of hepatitis B immune globulin in the prevention of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B.

From October 1982 to May 1983, newborn infants of 79 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive women were enrolled in a study of the efficacy of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) in the prophylaxis of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBIG 0.5 ml or 0.25 ml was given to the newborn within 15 minutes of birth and at 3 and 6 months. The mother-infant pairs were followed-up every 3 months for at least 9 months. Similar observations of untreated infants were used for comparison. Among infants of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive carrier mothers, the HBsAg carrier rates at 3 months were similar in the 0.5-ml and 0.25-ml HBIG dose groups. At 12 months the difference--17.7% of 17, 40% of 15--did not reach statistical significance, but the differences between these rates and that of the untreated control-85.7% of 35--did. Among infants of HBeAg-negative carrier mothers, HBV infection rates in both dose groups were similar to those of untreated infants. In the treated groups at 12 months about 45% of infants of HBeAg-positive mothers and 90% of infants of HBeAg-negative mothers were still negative for HBsAg and anti-HBs. Vaccination to induce active antibody is necessary to prevent postnatal infection and chronic carriage of HBV. To reduce the cost of combined passive and active hepatitis B immunoprophylaxis in children born to HBeAg-positive carrier mothers, 0.25 ml of HBIG could be used instead of the usually recommended 0.5 ml.

Hepatitis B↗

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided fetal blood sampling in the management of nonimmune hydrops fetalis.

Nonimmune hydrops fetalis can be caused by fetal chromosomal, hematologic, cardiac, or infectious conditions. A fetal blood sample obtained from percutaneous ultrasound-guided fetal blood sampling can offer vital information about the underlying cause of nonimmune hydrops fetalis, and perinatal management can be planned accordingly. Ten cases of nonimmune hydrops fetalis were investigated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided fetal blood sampling and subsequent fetal blood analysis. Nine were proved to be Bart's hemoglobin hydrops fetalis, with 78.2% to 99% of Bart's hemoglobin in the fetal blood. Terminations of pregnancy were undertaken immediately, resulting in a lowered maternal morbidity rate. Free cord loops or an intra-abdominal portion of the dilated umbilical vein can be used for percutaneous fetal blood sampling in nonimmune hydrops fetalis when the placental cord insertion is difficult to visualize. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided fetal blood sampling and subsequent fetal blood analysis will eventually play a key role in the management of the puzzling nonimmune hydrops fetalis if the safety of ultrasound-guided fetal blood sampling can be verified by further clinical studies.

Adult↗

Inadequacy of immunoglobulin M hepatitis B core antibody in detecting acute hepatitis B virus infection in infants of HBsAg carrier mothers.

To study the usefulness of IgM hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc IgM) for detecting hepatitis B virus infections in infants of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers, serial serum samples from 86 infants of carrier mothers were tested for anti-HBc IgM with a highly specific enzyme immunoassay. Asymptomatic hepatitis B infection occurred frequently in infants under 12 mo of age. Anti-HBc IgM never became positive in 25 infants infected under 9 mo old. It was positive in only 1 of 6 infected at 9 mo and 4 of 13 infected at 12 mo of age. The IgM antibody lasted for less than 6 mo. Although the infection was delayed in 28 infants receiving hepatitis B immune globulin, the poor anti-HBc IgM response did not seem to be due to the immune prophylaxis. Our study clearly indicates the limitation of anti-HBc IgM for detecting acute hepatitis B infection in infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers.

Adult↗

Haptoglobin typing and quantitation in normal Chinese females and gynecologic cancer patients.

Haptoglobin typing with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and guaiacol staining was performed in 1028 sera, including 215 cases of various gynecologic malignancies, 45 of benign gynecologic tumors, 99 of pregnancy, 2 of infection, and 667 of healthy subjects as controls. In the control group, excluding 9 cases of hypohaptoglobinemia, the incidences of haptoglobin type 1-1, 2-1, and 2-2 were 12.00%, 41.03%, and 46.96% respectively. The Hp alpha 1 gene frequency was 0.3251. In cervical cancer and ovarian cancer, the incidence of type 1-1 was lower, while in corpus cancer, it was remarkably elevated. The frequency of Hp alpha 1 gene decreased in cervical cancer but increased in corpus cancer and other miscellaneous gynecologic cancer patients. However, the type distribution of gynecologic malignancy as a group was almost the same as that in the control group. The association of malignancy and haptoglobin types awaits further study. With single radial immunodiffusion technic, haptoglobin quantitation was also performed in 655 cases. In 331 nonpregnant healthy subjects, the mean levels in type 1-1, 2-1, and 2-2 were 118.4, 180.9, and 137.9 mg% respectively. While the haptoglobin level during pregnancy and in most benign gynecologic tumors remained the same as in normal controls, it was significantly elevated in corpus cancer, ovarian cancer and advanced cervical cancers. A close association between malignancy and elevated haptoglobin levels was evident.

Adult↗

Hydrops fetalis caused by severe alpha-thalassemia.

Alpha-thalassemia is a prevalent condition in South East Asia and spreading because of increasing immigration. Hemodynamic study of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis, the most severe form of alpha-thalassemia, showed the fetuses were in a hyperdynamic circulatory state and were also more acidotic, hypoxic, and hypercarvic than normal fetuses. The most common molecular defects of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis was the Southeast Asia type deletion. Prenatal diagnosis of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis and HbH diseases has been achieved using chorionic villi sampling or fetal blood sampling.

Asia, Southeastern↗