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Biomedical subjects

U Irle

Publications and source records attributed to U Irle.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Complete virilization in congenital adrenal hyperplasia: clinical course, medical management and disease-related complications.

OBJECTIVE: In girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), genital ambiguity usually leads to a rapid neonatal diagnosis. Rarely, CAH causes complete virilization and male sex assignment with a delayed diagnosis. After being confronted with very specific problems in two of such patients, we collected data of patients with CAH and complete virilization in a nationwide study to delineate specific problems of these rare patients in order to improve their management. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Through the German Working Group of Paediatric Endocrinology (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, APE), questionnaires were sent to all members caring for patients with CAH and complete virilization in their endocrine clinics. Data from 16 patients from 10 paediatric endocrine centres were assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: The following problems have been encountered. (1) Sex assignment/gender identity: initially all patients had a male sex assignment. Six patients were diagnosed during the first month of life. Five were reassigned to female sex immediately, one at the age of 19 months. Except in one girl demonstrating some tomboyish behaviour, gender role behaviour in these patients did not differ from unaffected girls. Ten patients were diagnosed late at 3.4--7 years of age. In seven patients with a late diagnosis, male sex assignment was maintained; one of them expressed some concerns about living as a male. In three patients late sex reversal was performed, gender identity is very poor in one and new sex assignment is currently under consideration. (2) SURGERY: irrespective of the sex assigned, all patients had between one and three surgical procedures, including clitoris reduction and (repeated) vaginoplasties in patients with female sex assignment. Hysterectomy and ovarectomy were performed in patients with male sex assignment. (3) Short stature: patients with a late diagnosis of CAH had extremely advanced bone ages of +6.3 to +9.5 years, leading to severely reduced final height of 137 to 150 cm in adult patients. Patients tended to follow height percentiles of genetic females. One pubertal patient was suicidal due to short stature. (4) Central precocious puberty (CPP): prolonged exposition to adrenal androgens led to CPP in one patient. He was treated with GnRH analogues until gonadectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CAH and complete virilization have a high risk of being diagnosed late. There are major problems and uncertainties of the patients' families and the treating physicians concerning gender assignment. Gender identity is disturbed in some patients. In addition, multiple surgical procedures are necessary and short stature as well as central precocious puberty might be important to avoid late sequelae. While some surgical interventions are probably unavoidable, most of these issues could be resolved with an early diagnosis. Thus, especially for these patients, a neonatal screening programme for CAH would be of paramount importance.

Adolescent↗

Growth hormone therapy with three dosage regimens in children with idiopathic short stature. European Study Group Participating Investigators.

OBJECTIVE: In children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) we studied the growth-promoting effect at 4 years of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy in three dose regimens and evaluated whether increasing the dosage after the first year could prevent a decline in height velocity (HV). DESIGN: Included were 223 patients who were treated with subcutaneous administrations of rhGH 6 days per week. They were randomized to three groups: 3 IU/m2 body surface/day, 4.5 IU/m2/day, and 3 IU/m2/day during the first year and 4.5 IU/m2/day thereafter, corresponding with dosages of 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg body weight/week, respectively. Growth was compared with a standard of 229 untreated children with ISS [ISS standard]. RESULTS: During the first year of treatment HV almost doubled and was higher with 4.5 IU/m2 than with 3 IU/m2. In the second year HV no longer differed among the groups, but increasing the dosage slowed the rate of the fall of HV. During 4 years of therapy the height SD score for age increased by a mean (SD) of 2.5 (1.0) [ISS standards], or 1.2 (0.7) (British standards), bone age increased by 4.8 (1.3) years, and predicted adult height SD score increased by 1.5 (0.7). After 4 years the results of the group with 4.5 IU/m2 were slightly better than those of the other groups. When dropouts were included in the analysis (assuming a stable height SD score after discontinuation of rhGH therapy), height gain was still significant. CONCLUSIONS: During 4 years of rhGH therapy, growth and final height prognosis improved, slightly more with 4.5 IU/m2 than with 3 IU/m2 or 3 to 4.5 IU/m2. However, bone age advanced on average 4.8 years during this period; therefore, any effect on final height will probably be modest.

Body Height↗

Elevated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D serum concentrations in infants with subcutaneous fat necrosis.

Two infants with subcutaneous fat necrosis had hypercalcemia that normalized during glucocorticoid treatment. The combination of hypercalcemia, normal concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, an elevated concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, a suppressed parathyroid hormone level, and low-normal bone turnover indicated abnormal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production with increased intestinal absorption of calcium. Unregulated production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D by the granulomatous cells of fat necrosis may cause hypercalcemia.

Adipose Tissue↗

[Acanthocytosis in chronic septic granulomatosis: the McLeod syndrome].

Acanthocytosis was observed in a boy suffering from Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). Further investigations revealed weak Kell-antigen-expression on the patient's erythrocytes. This so-called "McLeod-Syndrome" is due to the absence of Kx, the Kell antigen precursor substance. So far, 8 cases of an association between McLeod-Syndrome and CGD have been reported. Both genetic defects are closely linked on the X-chromosome and may therefore be inherited together. In female carriers, the variable inactivation of one X-chromosome according to the Lyon-hypothesis is the reason for the appearance of both normal and McLeod-erythrocytes at the same time. This was observed in the mother and sister of our patient too. Blood transfusions should be avoided, because McLeod-patients are at risk to form antibodies against the precursor substance Kx common to the erythrocytes of virtually all people. These patients should therefore be encouraged to donate blood which can be stored frozen and used either as autotransfusion (for the patient himself) or for other McLeod-patients.

Acanthocytes↗

Propionyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency with overflow of metabolites of isoleucine catabolism at all levels.

An 11-year old girl with spastic paraplegia and mental retardation has suffered from attacks of metabolic acidosis since the age of 18 months. "Ketotic hyperglycinemia" was diagnosed when she was 3 years old. Reinvestigation at 9 1/2 years included a two-day load with L-isoleucine, and propionyl-CoA carboxylase assay in cultured fibroblasts. The following compounds increased following the load: 3-hydroxypropionic acid, 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyric acid, 2-ethylhydracrylic acid, 3-hydroxy-n-valeric acid, 3-oxo-n-valeric acid, 2-methyl-3-oxobutyric acid, 2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acid, 2-methyl-3-oxovaleric acid, N-tiglylglycine, methylcitric acid and butanone. Small amounts of alloisoleucine appeared in plasma. Propionyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency was suggested by this metabolite pattern and demonstrated in cultured fibroblasts.

Acidosis↗

A metabolic disorder similar to Zellweger syndrome with hepatic acatalasia and absence of peroxisomes, altered content and redox state of cytochromes, and infantile cirrhosis with hemosiderosis.

A patient with a cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome was investigated. The visceral manifestations were those of the Zellweger syndrome (ZS); however, the child exhibited muscular hypertonia and survived into the 2nd year of life. Ultramicroscopically, hepatocytes were lacking peroxisomes, but, contrary to findings in one patient with ZS [2], contained smooth endoplasmic reticulum. No catalase was found by histochemistry or spectroscopy. Mitochondria showed normal succinate and glutamate respiration, and normal coupling of respiration to the phosphorylation potential. The cytochrome (cyt) content was diminished to one-third with an abnormally inversed redox pattern of the respiratory chain in the controlled state, cyt b being 5%, cyt c 23% reduced. The oxygen affinity of cyt a3 was normal. These findings exclude a defect in the nonheme iron protein region of the respiratory chain as described in ZS [2], but point to a functional abnormality of cyt b in out patient.

Catalase↗

[Bacteriological aspects of preparation, storage and transport of milk formulas (author's transl)].

1. It was shown that special apparatus for cleaning milkbottles makes additional desinfection unnecessary with regard to bacteriological and hygienic aspects. -- 2. Milk-bottles should be processed centrally for safety reasons. Special basket-containers facilitate a more economic washing process, transport and storage of the bottles. -- 3. Physiologically optimal milk formulas, as available today, should be prepared and filled into bottles in the ward where they are needed, immediately before use, to guarantee bacteriologically optimal conditions. -- 4. With appropriate organization within a clinic it should be possible to store special dietary formulas which have been prepared centrally, not in the wards, over the required time without the risk of bacterial contamination. The need for regular and systemic bacteriological checks is emphasized.

Animals↗

[Chromosome aberrations in Prader-Willi-Labhart syndrome--critical review, documented by 4 unusual cases].

Report on two males who exhibit a syndrome which reminds Prader-Willi-Labhart syndrome (PWLS) because of craniofacial dysmorphy, acromicria, hypogenitalism, obesity and mental deficiency. A supernumerary small marker chromosome was identified as duplication of the juxtameric parts of chromosome 15. In a 15 years old female and in a 4 years old unrelated male deletion of 15q1 is due to translocation with a chromosome 7 and 20 respectively subsequent to 3:1 distribution. Therefore both patients share partial monosomies of chromosome 15 but also of the other autosome involved. Various chromosomal aberrations in PWLS but mostly deletions of chromosome 15 either isolated or associated with translocation are summarized. Patients with a PWLS like syndrome and a marker chromosome consisting of juxtameric parts of chromosome 15 constitute a particular group which is delineated from PWLS but also from a large heterogeneous group of supernumerary marker chromosomes.

Adolescent↗