Isolated postaxial polydactyly: Epidemiologic characteristics from a multicenter birth defects study.

Isolated postaxial polydactyly (I-PAP), as a single defect, is a frequent malformation, characterized by an extra digit placed on the ulnar or fibular side of the limbs. Worldwide prevalence varies from as high as 225/10,000 in Nigerians to so low as 6.08/10,000 in Argentinians. Genetic-ethnic background significantly affects worldwide prevalence and type of I-PAP. Herein we describe the epidemiological characteristics of I-PAP in 697 newborns, 383 males and 314 females identified in 1,178,993 examined live births from a multicenter case-control hospital-based population study, the Mexican program of Registry and Epidemiological Surveillance of Congenital Malformations (RYVEMCE). The main characteristics analyzed included total I-PAP, stratified in Types A and B, defined as complete or incomplete extra-digit formation, respectively, sex prevalence, affected limb, laterality, parity, prematurity, delivery-type, twinning, consanguinity, and parental age. Males (6.35/10,000) are significantly more frequently affected than females (5.45/10,000), hands more than feet, left more than right limbs, and Type B (74.50%) more than A (25.50%). Prematurity and forceps use were significantly more frequent in cases than controls. An evident decreasing time-trend prevalence was present. Similar findings with other studies were males, upper and left limbs more frequently affected. Findings that were not previously reported include prematurity, forceps use, a significant decreasing time trend and an inverse ethnic prevalence for Types A (75%) and B (25%) in the Mayan population in contrast to other worldwide ethnic groups.

Genetic Risk Determinants for Cigarette Smoking Dependence in Mexican Mestizo Families.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of mortality in developed and developing countries. Despite antitobacco and smoke-free policies, the prevalence of active smokers in Mexican urban populations has remained stable. Mexican smokers differ from Caucasian and other ethnic groups, probably due to sociocultural and genetic background characteristics. This study explored the effect of known genetic variants on smoking behavior in Mexico City residents. METHODS: Three hundred sixty-four Mexican Mestizo Mexico City residents from 87 families with at least one smoker were assessed for association of 12 gene variants of six candidate genes (CHRNA4, CHRNB2, DRD2, ANKK1, SLC6A3, and CYP2A6) with cigarette consumption, age of initiation and smoking duration. The Family Based Association Test, an extension of the Transmission Disequilibrium Test, was used to perform family-based association analysis. RESULTS: The Family Based Association Test showed statistically significant association between the rs2072658 polymorphism of the CHRNB2 gene and smoking-related phenotypes such as: smoking status (SS), age of onset (AO), years of smoking, and psychological dependence (PD) evaluated by the Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavior Questionnaire. After Bonferroni correction, only the association with AO remained significant (P = .003). Statistically significant association was also observed for the CYP2A6 rs28399433 T allele with SS (P = .003) and PD (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate effects of the rs2072658 CHRNB2 and rs28399433 CYP2A6 gene variants on AO, SS and PD in Mexican Mestizo smokers. A mild effect of other analyzed gene variants, which may contribute to a putative polygenic predisposition for smoking, is suggested. IMPLICATIONS: The understanding of genetic and environmental determinants in the Mexican population is important for other Latin American populations as well, living in their own countries or moving to other ones, particular due to the current migration characteristics and particular genetic background like the Mexican Mestizo and other Central American populations with similar characteristics and migrating to neighbor developed countries, introducing their own smoking behavior and contributing importantly to the genetic pool of the receptor country.

Clinical and Genetic Findings in Mexican Patients with Duane Anomaly and Radial Ray Malformations/Okihiro Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Okihiro syndrome is an autosomal-dominant condition characterized by radial ray malformations associated with Duane anomaly and other clinical characteristics. SALL4 mutations have been identified in 80-90% of patients with Duane- Radial ray defects/Okihiro syndrome. We report the clinical findings and results of SALL4 sequencing from a group of Mexican patients with this disorder. OBJECTIVE: Clinical description and identification of SALL4 mutations in Mexican subjects with radial defects and Duane anomaly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five unrelated index cases were studied. Complete ophthalmologic and general physical examination was performed in all patients. Polymerase chain reaction amplification and automated nucleotide sequencing of coding exons and intron-exon junctions of SALL4 gene were carried out in genomic DNA. RESULTS: A novel heterozygous deletion was identified in one patient. Intragenic heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms on SALL4 gene ruled out deletions of some exons in other affected patients in whom non-pathogenic variants were identified by Sanger sequencing. Likewise, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis ruled out large deletions in this gene. CONCLUSION: We observed a low frequency of SALL4 mutations in Mexican patients with clinical criteria of Okihiro syndrome.

Identification of Copy Number Variations in Isolated Tetralogy of Fallot.

Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) is one of the most common and severe congenital heart defects (CHD). Recently, unbalanced structural genomic variants or copy number variations (CNVs) were proposed to be involved in the etiology of many complex diseases, including CHDs. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of CNVs in a region with a high density of CNVs, 22q11.2, and other regions with CHD-related genes in a sample of 52 Mexican mestizo patients with isolated ToF and negative fluorescence in situ hybridization staining for 22q11. CNVs were studied using two multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) kits, SALSA P250-B1® (DiGeorge gene region) and SALSA MLPA P311-A1® CHD-related gene regions (GATA4, NKX2-5, TBX5, BMP4, and CRELD1). The MLPA assay detected a de novo CNV deletion of the probes located in exons 2 and 7 of the TBX1 gene in one of the 52 patients studied; this result was confirmed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. This deletion was not present in the patient's parents and 104 chromosomes from healthy control subjects. Our results clearly suggest a possible etiologic association between the TBX1 deletion and the ToF in our patient.

Moderate altitude as a risk factor for isolated congenital malformations. Results from a case-control multicenter-multiregional study.

BACKGROUND: Living in high-altitude regions has been associated with a higher prevalence of some birth defects. Moderate altitudes (1500-2500 m) have been associated with some congenital heart diseases and low birth weight. However, no studies have been conducted for other isolated congenital malformations. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence at birth of isolated congenital malformations in low and moderate altitudes and to determine if moderate altitudes are a risk factor, such as high altitudes, for isolated congenital malformations adjusted for other factors. METHODS: The study consisted of a case-control multicenter-multiregional study of 13 isolated congenital malformations. Cases included live births with isolated congenital malformations and controls at low (10-1433 m) and moderate altitudes (1511-2426 m) from a Mexican registry from January 1978 to December 2019. Prevalence per 10,000 (95% CI) per altitude group was estimated. We performed unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models (adjusted for maternal age, parity, malformed relatives, socioeconomic level, and maternal diabetes) for each isolated congenital malformation. RESULTS: Hydrocephaly and microtia had a higher at-birth prevalence, and spina bifida, preauricular tag, and gastroschisis showed a lower at-birth prevalence in moderate altitudes. Moderate altitudes were a risk factor for hydrocephaly (aOR 1.39), microtia (aOR 1.60), cleft-lip-palate (aOR 1.27), and polydactyly (aOR 1.32) and a protective effect for spina bifida (aOR 0.87) compared with low altitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that moderate altitudes as higher altitudes are an associated risk or protective factor to some isolated congenital malformations, suggesting a possible gradient effect.

Lynch syndrome in Mexican-Mestizo families: Genotype, phenotypes, and challenges in cascade testing among relatives at risk.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most frequent cancer predisposition syndrome affecting the colon and rectum. A pathogenic variant (PV) disrupting one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes is responsible for the disease. The spectrum of tumors in LS is heterogeneous and includes cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC), endometrium, ovaries, stomach, small bowel, urinary tract, bladder, pancreas, and skin. Knowledge of the phenotypic variation of patients with LS, the type and frequency of PVs, and cascade testing studies in the Latin American population is limited. The present study aims to recognize the PVs in MMR genes, describe the phenotype in Mexican-Mestizo patients and their relatives, and identify the acceptance rate of cascade testing of relatives at risk. We included 40 carriers of a MMR gene PV and 142 relatives that developed a LS-related neoplasm. Patients' clinical data, number, and type of malignancies were obtained from their medical records. Amsterdam I-II, Bethesda criteria, and PREMM5® predictive model score were estimated. Available immunohistochemistry (IHC) reports were analyzed. Relatives at risk were determined from index cases pedigrees. The distribution of MMR gene mutations among 40 probands was: MLH1 (67.5 %), MSH2 (22.5 %), MSH6 (7.5 %), and PMS2 (2.5 %). Out of the 182 LS cases, 58 % exhibited the LS phenotype before age 50. The most common tumor was CRC, followed by endometrial cancer in women and gastric cancer in males. We found a 90.0 % concordance between the IHC and germline PV. The most frequent PV in our sample was MLH1 c.676C > T, occurring in 1/6 index cases. All probands disclosed their molecular test result to their family. Out of the 451 asymptomatic relatives at risk, 28.2 % underwent germline testing. Our results highlight the importance of conducting germline genetic studies in LS since it allows the establishment of appropriate cancer screening, risk-reducing measures, and genetic cascade testing among relatives at risk. Interestingly, we observed a significantly higher prevalence of the c.676C > T variant in MLH1, probably a singular characteristic of the Mexican-Mestizo population. New strategies to facilitate accurate communication between index cases and relatives should be implemented to improve the cascade testing acceptance rate.

Prevalence of esophageal atresia among 18 international birth defects surveillance programs.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of esophageal atresia (EA) has been shown to vary across different geographical settings. Investigation of geographical differences may provide an insight into the underlying etiology of EA. METHODS: The study population comprised infants diagnosed with EA during 1998 to 2007 from 18 of the 46 birth defects surveillance programs, members of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research. Total prevalence per 10,000 births for EA was defined as the total number of cases in live births, stillbirths, and elective termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (ETOPFA) divided by the total number of all births in the population. RESULTS: Among the participating programs, a total of 2943 cases of EA were diagnosed with an average prevalence of 2.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.35-2.53) per 10,000 births, ranging between 1.77 and 3.68 per 10,000 births. Of all infants diagnosed with EA, 2761 (93.8%) were live births, 82 (2.8%) stillbirths, 89 (3.0%) ETOPFA, and 11 (0.4%) had unknown outcomes. The majority of cases (2020, 68.6%), had a reported EA with fistula, 749 (25.5%) were without fistula, and 174 (5.9%) were registered with an unspecified code. CONCLUSIONS: On average, EA affected 1 in 4099 births (95% CI, 1 in 3954-4251 births) with prevalence varying across different geographical settings, but relatively consistent over time and comparable between surveillance programs. Findings suggest that differences in the prevalence observed among programs are likely to be attributable to variability in population ethnic compositions or issues in reporting or registration procedures of EA, rather than a real risk occurrence difference. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2012.

[Congenital malformations in the offspring of epileptic mothers with and without anticonvulsant treatment]. / Malformaciones congénitas en hijos de madres epilépticas con y sin tratamiento con anticonvulsivantes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence at birth and type of congenital malformations (CM) in newborns of epileptic mothers (NEM) treated and not treated with anticonvulsants, the correlation anticonvulsant/CM and other developmental disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicenter case-control study, in 166 live births NEM diagnosed in 21 501 newborns with CM and respective controls from the Registro y Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Malformaciones Congénitas (RYVEMCE). RESULTS: The frequency of CM in NEM treated with anticonvulsants was higher (48.3%) than in NEM of untreated mothers (28.3%), (OR= 2.37 IC95% 1.08-5.40), p=0.03. CMs most frequently found were: spina bifida, limb reduction defects, cleft lip palate, microcephaly, anotia/microtia, hypospadias, polydactyly, cleft palate, anophthalmia/ microphthalmia and omphalocele. No differences among monotherapy and polytherapy were observed. Diphenyl-hydantoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid were the most frequently anticonvulsants used. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the teratogenicity of epilepsy by itself, the synergistic effect of some anticonvulsants, and the need of an appropriate periconceptional control of the disease and treatment.

Analysis of early neonatal case fatality rate among newborns with congenital hydrocephalus, a 2000-2014 multi-country registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital hydrocephalus (CH) comprises a heterogeneous group of birth anomalies with a wide-ranging prevalence across geographic regions and registry type. The aim of the present study was to analyze the early neonatal case fatality rate (CFR) and total birth prevalence of newborns diagnosed with CH. METHODS: Data were provided by 25 registries from four continents participating in the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR) on births ascertained between 2000 and 2014. Two CH rates were calculated using a Poisson distribution: early neonatal CFR (death within 7 days) per 100 liveborn CH cases (CFR) and total birth prevalence rate (BPR) per 10,000 births (including live births and stillbirths) (BPR). Heterogeneity between registries was calculated using a meta-analysis approach with random effects. Temporal trends in CFR and BPR within registries were evaluated through Poisson regression modeling. RESULTS: A total of 13,112 CH cases among 19,293,280 total births were analyzed. The early neonatal CFR was 5.9 per 100 liveborn cases, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.4-6.8. The CFR among syndromic cases was 2.7 times (95% CI: 2.2-3.3) higher than among non-syndromic cases (10.4% [95% CI: 9.3-11.7] and 4.4% [95% CI: 3.7-5.2], respectively). The total BPR was 6.8 per 10,000 births (95% CI: 6.7-6.9). Stratified by elective termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies (ETOPFA), region and system, higher CFR were observed alongside higher BPR rates. The early neonatal CFR and total BPR did not show temporal variation, with the exception of a CFR decrease in one registry. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of early neonatal CFR and total BPR were highly heterogeneous among registries participating in ICBDSR. Most registries with higher CFR also had higher BPR. Differences were attributable to type of registry (hospital-based vs. population-based), ETOPFA (allowed yes or no) and geographical regions. These findings contribute to the understanding of regional differences of CH occurrence and early neonatal deaths.

Conjoined twins: a worldwide collaborative epidemiological study of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research.

Conjoined twins (CT) are a very rare developmental accident of uncertain etiology. Prevalence has been previously estimated to be 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 births. The process by which monozygotic twins do not fully separate but form CT is not well understood. The purpose of the present study was to analyze diverse epidemiological aspects of CT, including the different variables listed in the Introduction Section of this issue of the Journal. The study was made possible using the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR) structure. This multicenter worldwide research includes the largest sample of CT ever studied. A total of 383 carefully reviewed sets of CT obtained from 26,138,837 births reported by 21 Clearinghouse Surveillance Programs (SP) were included in the analysis. Total prevalence was 1.47 per 100,000 births (95% CI: 1.32-1.62). Salient findings including an evident variation in prevalence among SPs: a marked variation in the type of pregnancy outcome, a similarity in the proportion of CT types among programs: a significant female predominance in CT: particularly of the thoracopagus type and a significant male predominance in parapagus and parasitic types: significant differences in prevalence by ethnicity and an apparent increasing prevalence trend in South American countries. No genetic, environmental or demographic significant associated factors were identified. Further work in epidemiology and molecular research is necessary to understand the etiology and pathogenesis involved in the development of this fascinating phenomenon of nature.

Sirenomelia: an epidemiologic study in a large dataset from the International Clearinghouse of Birth Defects Surveillance and Research, and literature review.

Sirenomelia is a very rare limb anomaly in which the normally paired lower limbs are replaced by a single midline limb. This study describes the prevalence, associated malformations, and maternal characteristics among cases with sirenomelia. Data originated from 19 birth defect surveillance system members of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research, and were reported according to a single pre-established protocol. Cases were clinically evaluated locally and reviewed centrally. A total of 249 cases with sirenomelia were identified among 25,290,172 births, for a prevalence of 0.98 per 100,000, with higher prevalence in the Mexican registry. An increase of sirenomelia prevalence with maternal age less than 20 years was statistically significant. The proportion of twinning was 9%, higher than the 1% expected. Sex was ambiguous in 47% of cases, and no different from expectation in the rest. The proportion of cases born alive, premature, and weighting less than 2,500 g were 47%, 71.2%, and 88.2%, respectively. Half of the cases with sirenomelia also presented with genital, large bowel, and urinary defects. About 10-15% of the cases had lower spinal column defects, single or anomalous umbilical artery, upper limb, cardiac, and central nervous system defects. There was a greater than expected association of sirenomelia with other very rare defects such as bladder exstrophy, cyclopia/holoprosencephaly, and acardia-acephalus. The application of the new biological network analysis approach, including molecular results, to these associated very rare diseases is suggested for future studies.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in liver explants in a Mexican cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a risk factor for liver disease. PASD-positive inclusions have been found unexpectedly in approximately 10% of liver explants in patients with no previous diagnosis of AATD, particularly, in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), supporting a synergistic mechanism of liver injury between AATD and environmental factors. We aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of mestizo patients in which AATD was diagnosed before or after liver transplantation. METHODS: Liver explants of patients with cryptogenic, alcoholic, and NAFLD/NASH cirrhosis undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were included. Liver histopathology was assessed by two expert pathologists. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, PASD staining, and confirmatory AAT immunohistochemistry were performed. In explants with positive histopathology, genotyping for SERPINA1 was performed. RESULTS: A total of 180 liver transplants were performed during the study period. Of these, 44 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis, NASH, and alcoholic cirrhosis were included. Of these patients, two liver explants (4.5%) had PASD-positive inclusions stain and confirmatory immunochemistry. During the period evaluated, another two patients with a diagnosis of AATD before the OLT were also included. The four patients had overweight or obesity, three had type 2 diabetes mellitus, and two developed liver steatosis after the OLT. CONCLUSION: AATD was found to be an infrequent finding in patients with cryptogenic, NASH/NAFLD, and alcoholic cirrhosis in our population. However, it is important to consider this entity as it may represent an additional factor in the appearance and progression of liver fibrosis in patients with metabolic syndrome.

A multi-country study of prevalence and early childhood mortality among children with omphalocele.

BACKGROUND: Omphalocele is the second most common abdominal birth defect and often occurs with other structural and genetic defects. The objective of this study was to determine omphalocele prevalence, time trends, and mortality during early childhood, by geographical region, and the presence of associated anomalies. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study with 23 birth defect surveillance systems in 18 countries who are members of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research that submitted data on cases ascertained from 2000 through 2012, approximately 16 million pregnancies were surveyed that resulted in live births, stillbirths, or elective terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomalies (ETOPFA) and cases with omphalocele were included. Overall prevalence and mortality rates for specific ages were calculated (day of birth, neonatal, infant, and early childhood). We used Kaplan-Meier estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to calculate cumulative mortality and joinpoint regression for time trend analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of omphalocele was 2.6 per 10,000 births (95% CI: 2.5, 2.7) and showed no temporal change from 2000-2012 (average annual percent change = -0.19%, p = .52). The overall mortality rate was 32.1% (95% CI: 30.2, 34.0). Most deaths occurred during the neonatal period and among children with multiple anomalies or syndromic omphalocele. Prevalence and mortality varied by registry type (e.g., hospital- vs. population-based) and inclusion or exclusion of ETOPFA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of omphalocele showed no temporal change from 2000-2012. Approximately one-third of children with omphalocele did not survive early childhood with most deaths occurring in the neonatal period.

OEIS complex: Prevalence, clinical, and epidemiologic findings in a multicenter Mexican birth defects surveillance program.

OEIS is the acronym of a malformations complex association including omphalocele, exstrophy of bladder or cloaca, imperforate anus, and spinal defects. It has a very low prevalence, ranging from 1/82,000 to 1/200,000 live births (LB). The etiology of OEIS is unknown. Virtually all cases are sporadic, and specific associated risk factors uncertain. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, clinical spectrum, possible early pregnancy exposures, and demographic characteristics as potentially associated risk factors in a sample of Mexican cases. METHODS: We conducted a multihospital based case-control study on 12 cases with the OEIS complex identified in 1,195,020 LB born from January 1978 to December 2015. All comparisons performed were matching 1:3 the relation of cases and controls, respectively, considering the p-value of ≤.05 as statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of OEIS was 1.004/100,000 (1/99,585) LB. The frequency of bladder/cloacal exstrophy was 75 and 25%, respectively, omphalocele was 83.3%, and imperforate anus and spinal defects, 75.0% each. Two pairs of twins discordant for the defect exhibited the severest OEIS phenotype. Except for the higher frequency of maternal first pregnancy trimester influenza infection, early perinatal mortality and a twining trend association, none other variable differed significantly. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of OEIS in our sample is within the highest reported worldwide. First-trimester pregnancy maternal influenza infection and twining emerge as associated risk factors for OEIS. Although twin zygosity was not defined, the observed severest phenotypes in twins endorse the hypothesis that OEIS and monozygotic twinning are features of disturbances on early blastogenesis.

Lack of concordance and linkage disequilibrium among brothers for androgenetic alopecia and CAG/GGC haplotypes of the androgen receptor gene in Mexican families.

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or common baldness is the most prevalent form of hair loss in males. Familial predisposition has been recognized, and heritability estimated in monozygotic twins suggests an important genetic predisposition. Several studies indicate that the numbers of CAG/GGC repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene (AR) maybe associated with AGA susceptibility. AIMS: To investigate a possible correlation between AR CAG/GGC haplotypes and the presence or not of alopecia in sibships with two or more brothers among them at least one of them has AGA. PATIENTS/METHODS: Thirty-two trios including an alopecic man, one brother alopecic or not, and their mother were enrolled. Sanger sequencing of the exon 1 of the AR gene was conducted to ascertain the number of CAG/GGC repeats in each individual. Heterozygous mother for the CAG/GGC haplotypes was an inclusion criterion to analyze the segregation haplotype patterns in the family. Concordance for the number of repeats and AGA among brothers was evaluated using kappa coefficient and the probability of association in the presence of genetic linkage between CAG and GGC repeats and AGA estimated by means of the family-based association test (FBAT). RESULTS: The median for the CAG and GGC repeats in the AR is similar to that reported in other populations. The CAG/GGC haplotypes were less polymorphic than that reported in other studies, especially due to the GGC number of repeats found. Kappa coefficient resulted in a concordance of 37.3% (IC 95%, 5.0-69.0%) for the AGA phenotype and identical CAG/GGC haplotypes. There was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium. CONCLUSION: Our results do not confirm a possible correlation or linkage disequilibrium between the CAG/GGC haplotypes of the AR gene and androgenetic alopecia in Mexican brothers.

Familial amyloidosis with polyneuropathy associated with TTR Ser50Arg mutation.

BACKGROUND: The phenotypic heterogeneity of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) familial polyneuropathy may be linked to the type of mutation and to the environmental factors. A gender difference in relation to the severity of the disease has been suspected. More than 100 different pathogenic variants of hereditary transthyretin (TTR) mutations have been reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe 32 patients with confirmed TTR Ser50Arg mutation from the same geographical origin. METHODS: Seven families with up to four affected generations underwent genetic testing and prospective clinical and laboratory evaluations. RESULTS: The mutation was confirmed in seven patients from different families with clinical symptoms compatible with ATTR amyloidosis, and in 25 (62%) of the 40 direct relatives tested. Of the 32 patients with positive test results, 18 (56%) were men. Only 5 (16%) subjects were disease-free at the time of the genetic test (mean age: 20, range: 18-30-year-old). The rest developed symptoms at a young age, between ages 36 and 41. Symptomatic, histologically positive patients were older than carriers and symptomatic patients without a confirmatory biopsy. The later generation displayed symptoms at a younger age. Initial manifestations in the 27 symptomatic patients were neuropathic in 19 (70%), gastrointestinal in 6 (22%) and autonomic in 1 (4%). Significant differences were demonstrated among genders, where men had a considerably worse outcome. CONCLUSION: ATTR Ser50Arg mutation was associated with an early onset, an unbalanced male to female ratio, a more aggressive course in males and possibly displayed anticipation.

Malformaciones congénitas en hijos de madres epilépticas con y sin tratamiento con anticonvulsivantes / Congenital malformations in the offspring of epileptic mothers with and without anticonvulsant treatment

OBJETIVO: Determinar la frecuencia y tipo de malformaciones congénitas (MC) en hijos de madres epilépticas (HME) tratadas y no tratadas con anticonvulsivantes, la posible correlación anticonvulsivante/MC y la asociación con otras alteraciones del desarrollo. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio multicéntrico de casos y controles en 166 recién nacidos vivos HME identificados en 21 501 recién nacidos con MC y respectivos controles del Registro y Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Malformaciones Congénitas (RYVEMCE). RESULTADOS: La frecuencia de MC en HME tratadas fue mayor, (48.3%) que en HME no tratadas (28.3%); (RM= 2.37 IC95% 1.08-5.40), p=0.03. Las MC más frecuentes fueron espina bífida, anomalías en reducción de miembros, labio/paladar hendido, microcefalia, anotia/microtia, hipospadias, paladar hendido, polidactilia, anoftalmia/microftalmia y onfalocele. No hubo diferencias entre uso de mono o politerapia. La difenilhidantoína, carbamazepina y ácido valproico fueron los anticonvulsivantes más utilizados. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados confirman la teratogenicidad propia de la epilepsia y el efecto sinérgico de ciertos anticonvulsivantes, lo que evidencia la necesidad de un apropiado control periconcepcional de esta enfermedad y su tratamiento.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence at birth and type of congenital malformations (CM) in newborns of epileptic mothers (NEM) treated and not treated with anticonvulsants, the correlation anticonvulsant/CM and other developmental disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicenter case-control study, in 166 live births NEM diagnosed in 21 501 newborns with CM and respective controls from the Registro y Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Malformaciones Congénitas (RYVEMCE). RESULTS: The frequency of CM in NEM treated with anticonvulsants was higher (48.3%) than in NEM of untreated mothers (28.3%), (OR= 2.37 IC95% 1.08-5.40), p=0.03. CMs most frequently found were: spina bifida, limb reduction defects, cleft lip palate, microcephaly, anotia/microtia, hypospadias, polydactyly, cleft palate, anophthalmia/ microphthalmia and omphalocele. No differences among monotherapy and polytherapy were observed. Diphenyl-hydantoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid were the most frequently anticonvulsants used. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the teratogenicity of epilepsy by itself, the synergistic effect of some anticonvulsants, and the need of an appropriate periconceptional control of the disease and treatment.