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[The morphological diagnosis of alcoholic embryo- and fetopathy].

Principles of morphologic diagnosis of alcoholic embryo- and fetopathy are discussed using data on two cases of this pathology. In the authors' opinion, three conditions are necessary to make diagnosis of alcoholic embryo- and fetopathy (i.e. maternal alcoholism history, morphologic signs of embryo- and fetopathy, ethanol concentration in fetal blood and urine). Alcohol embryo- and fetopathy must be differentiated from acute ethanol intoxication, during which microscopic visceral signs of embryo- and fetopathy are absent and ethanol blood concentration exceeds 2.0%.

Adult↗

Paternal behavioral mutagenesis.

Cocaine hydrochloride (0 to 30 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered daily for a minimum of 72 days to Long Evans rats. Animals receiving the lower doses were pair fed to animals receiving the higher dose. Males were bred to untreated females. Paternal cocaine administration did not affect litter size, birth weight, or weight at weaning, but did result in offspring hyperactivity. A similar study was conducted for paternal alcohol consumption in Long Evans rats. Males consumed alcohol (35%, 17.5% or 0% ethanol derived calories) for 8 to 9 weeks and were then bred to untreated females. Males consuming the lower concentrations were pair fed to 35% EDC animals. Paternal alcohol consumption did not affect birth weight or weight at weaning but resulted in offspring hypoactivity. Mice sired by alcohol-consuming males were also hypoactive.

Animals↗

[Mild forms of alcoholic embryopathy following excessive use of alcohol].

Within 15 years 171 children with fetal alcohol syndrome were diagnosed. Eight children showed an unusual low susceptibility to the harmful effects of alcohol in utero with mild expression of fetal alcohol syndrome or so-called alcohol effects, inspite of excessive maternal drinking (more than 180 gs alcohol per day). Increased tolerance of alcohol might be explained by two mechanisms: 1. By metabolic adaptation, mainly by swift increase of alcohol metabolizing; 2. by biochemical and structural adaptation at cellular membranes after chronic alcohol ingestion. The grade of severity in fetal alcohol syndrome does not depend on the amounts of alcohol but mainly on the development of metabolic and morphological tolerance and adaptation.

Adolescent↗

[Maternal serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and prenatal diagnosis of the fetal alcohol syndrome].

In order to investigate prospectively the relationship between maternal serum levels of a biologic marker of alcohol and the outcome of pregnancy, we measured serum gamma-glutamyltransferase in 541 women between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. An abnormally elevated value was observed in 6.8% of the cases but only 16.2% of these suspected alcohol abusers admitted drinking practices during pregnancy. Analysis of obstetrical issue and blind examination of the newborns showed a significant correlation between raised gamma-glutamyltransferase levels and an increased incidence of pre-/perinatal complications, congenital anomalies and intrauterine growth retardation. However, the sensitivity of this test is weak, limiting its use in the early recognition and prevention of fetal alcohol effects.

Adult↗

Pre- and perinatal environmental origin in mild mental retardation.

From population-based studies of mild mental retardation made in the beginning of the 1980s in Sweden and covering the birth years 1959-70, data on pre- and perinatal environmental origin have been analysed. Information gathered from these data has also been compiled together with more recent findings from epidemiological studies of other brain impairment groups, in particular cerebral palsy and infantile hydrocephalus.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Ocular abnormalities in the fetal alcohol syndrome.

Thirty children suffering from the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) were compared with 22 matched controls regarding malformations of the eyes and the visual function. All mothers to the FAS children had a documented abuse of alcohol during pregnancy. It was not possible to get reliable, detailed data on drinking habits, nor could it be ruled out that some mothers might have used psychopharmaceutic drugs during periods of the pregnancy. Defects of the outer eye region, or intraocular abnormalities, or both, were found in 27 FAS children (90%). Anomalies of the outer region like ptosis and strabismus were frequently found in the FAS children but were not common in the controls. Abnormalities in the anterior segments and media were found in six eyes. Malformations of the fundus were the most frequently occurring abnormalities in the FAS children. Forty-eight per cent of the eyes showed hypoplasia of the optic nervehead and 49% had an abnormal tortuosity of the retinal arteries. These variables were studied quantitatively by a new photogrammetric method. There were serious consequences to the vision of the FAS children. Nineteen per cent of the eyes has a visual acuity of 0.2 (20/100) or less, and 46% had 0.3-0.6 (20/60-20/30). Almost all controls had normal vision. As maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy was the only variable which could be traced in every case of FAS, it is appears very likely that alcohol caused the abnormalities of the eyes, possibly through non-specific, intra-uterine growth retardation. It that were the case, ocular abnormalities should be common in children with non-FAS growth retardation. A control study did not support this possibility.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Alcohol counselling of 85 pregnant problem drinkers: effect on drinking and fetal outcome.

Eighty-five pregnant problem drinkers were given intensive counselling throughout gestation to persuade them to reduce or stop their alcohol intake. Nevertheless, 7% of their blood specimens collected at follow-up visits contained ethanol. Fifty-five women (65%) were able to reduce their alcohol consumption by at least 50%. Alcohol abuse was associated in a dose-dependent manner with fetal growth retardation detectable by ultrasonography from 27 weeks gestation. Twenty infants (24%) had a complete fetal alcohol syndrome and 22 (26%) had some features of 'fetal alcohol effects' (FAE). In addition, the rate of structural malformations was high (13%). Of the women with continuous alcohol abuse 89% gave birth to infants with at least one feature of FAE compared with only 40% of those who decreased their alcohol consumption.

Adult↗

Effect of alcohol intoxication during pregnancy on foetal and placental weight: experimental studies.

Recent animal studies have shown that alcohol intoxication in utero leads to a decrease in foetal weight and an increase in that of placenta. These findings are not, however, satisfactorily explained. The object of this study was to investigate these two effects, using inhalation of various concentrations of ethanol vapour as a method of intoxication. Three groups of 12 gravid female rats (treated groups) were intoxicated by permanent exposure to an alcohol atmosphere (19, 20 or 21 mg/l.). Three control groups of 12 gravid females were not intoxicated but had their diet reduced to the same energy intake as the treated groups. On day 21 of pregnancy, foetuses and placentas were surgically removed and individually weighed. The body-weight of foetuses was found to be lower in the treated groups than in the respective controls. Additionally the reduction of foetal weight was directly related to the severity of intoxication. Increases in placental weight were observed in the three intoxicated groups. The differences observed between foetal and placental weights may be interpreted as a foeto-protective phenomenon.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗

Maternal drug therapy: effect on fetal and neonatal growth and neurobehavior.

Fetal and neonatal growth retardation may result in long term neurological and mental morbidity. There are multiple causes for intrauterine growth retardation but one etiology proposed is maternal drugs. In many instances it is difficult to determine if the growth retardation is due to the drugs or it is due to the disease process for which the mother receives the drugs. Weight and FOC appear to be more adversely effected than length. Combination drug therapy, for example anticonvulsant drugs, results in a greater incidence in teratology, growth retardation and lower IQ than monotherapy. Neurobehavior can also be adversely effected by maternal drugs. Although symptoms may be limited to the first months of life there is some evidence that this abnormal behavior is a reflection of in utero neurological insult which becomes evident later as poor organizational, perceptual, reading and mathematical skills or even mental retardation.

Aminopterin↗

Abnormal fetal heart rate pattern associated with severe intrapartum maternal ethanol intoxication. A case report.

Acute intrapartum ethanol intoxication occurred in a chronic ethanol abuser. Continuous fetal heart rate monitoring revealed a pattern of fetal tachycardia, decreased variability and late and variable decelerations in association with a maternal serum ethanol level of 300 mg/dL. This case gives evidence of an association between very high maternal serum ethanol levels and acute fetal distress.

Adult↗

The effect of volume and duration of prenatal ethanol exposure on neonatal physical and behavioral development.

Recent research on the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy indicate that discontinuing alcohol use mid-pregnancy can prevent or minimize many of the adverse consequences usually observed in the children of women who consume alcohol throughout pregnancy. Few studies have examined the contributions of maternal dose level independent of the duration of drinking during pregnancy. In this study the effects of prenatal dose (volume of maternal alcohol use per week during pregnancy) and duration (exposure throughout pregnancy vs. exposure in the first and second trimesters only) on newborn physical and behavioral development were examined. Dependent measures were cluster scores on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS) at three days, infant birthweight, length, and head circumference. Subjects were infants of obstetric patients at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta who were participating in a study on the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy on infant outcome (n = 149). Subjects were primarily black and of low socioeconomic status. Infants of women who continued to drink throughout pregnancy differed from those of women who did not drink during pregnancy on orientation, (the ability to attend to environmental stimuli), p less than 0.05, autonomic regulation, p less than 0.0002, birthweight, p less than 0.04, length, p less than 0.01, and head circumference, p less than 0.01. Both prenatal alcohol dose, p less than 0.03, and the duration of alcohol exposure, p less than 0.03, independently affected autonomic regulation. A significant interaction was found for birthweight, p less than 0.02, with independent main effects for both dose and duration of exposure, p less than 0.01.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child Behavior↗