Grayscale and Doppler sonographic evaluation of response to in utero treatment of hydrops fetalis caused by extralobar pulmonary sequestration.

Pulmonary sequestration is defined as nonfunctional lung tissue that lacks communication with the bronchial tree and that is supplied by an anomalous systemic vessel. In comparatively rare cases, pulmonary sequestration may lead to hydrothorax or hydrops fetalis, which is nearly universally fatal. In this report, we describe a case of pulmonary sequestration with hydrops fetalis, which was successfully treated by thoracoamniotic shunting. A sonographic Doppler study in this case suggested that the underlying mechanism of the hydropic change in a fetus with extralobar pulmonary sequestration may have differed from that in fetuses with primary hydrothorax not associated with a structural anomaly.

Prenatal sonographic appearance of truncus arteriosus on wide-band Doppler imaging.

Persistent truncus arteriosus is an uncommon congenital cardiac anomaly. In most patients, this condition is not diagnosed prior to birth. We report a case in which this uncommon cardiac anomaly was diagnosed prenatally using wide-band Doppler imaging. When diagnosing fetal truncus arteriosus, sonologists should carefully search for the origin of the main pulmonary artery and for its 2 branches. Our experience suggests that wide-band Doppler imaging facilitates the prenatal diagnosis of truncus arteriosus.

Serum uric acid levels correlate with plasma hydrogen peroxide and protein carbonyl levels in preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Increased serum uric acid has been postulated to directly promote oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum uric acid level correlated with superoxide generation and oxidative stress in preeclampsia. METHODS: We assessed serum uric acid levels, plasma hydrogen peroxide levels, and plasma protein carbonyl levels in normal pregnant (n = 14) and preeclamptic women (n = 17). Serum uric acid and plasma hydrogen peroxide levels were determined by the uricase-peroxidase method, a combined enzymatic-colorimetric method. Plasma carbonyl levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The mean serum uric acid values were significantly elevated in preeclampsia (6.6 +/- 1.5 mg/dl) compared with normal pregnancy (4.0 +/- 0.7 mg/dl) (P < 0.001). Plasma protein carbonyl levels were also significantly elevated in preeclampsia (7.72 +/- 4.10 nmol/mg) compared with normal pregnancy (2.85 +/- 3.06 nmol/mg) (P = 0.0011). In addition, the plasma hydrogen peroxide levels were significantly higher in preeclampsia (66.9 +/- 10.9 micromol/l) compared with normal pregnancy (50.1 +/- 5.6 micromol/l) (P < 0.001). Serum uric acid levels correlated significantly and positively with plasma hydrogen peroxide levels (r(2) = 0.2965, P = 0.0027) and plasma protein carbonyl levels (r(2) = 0.2011, P = 0.0129). CONCLUSION: The increased serum uric acid levels correlated closely with plasma hydrogen peroxide levels and plasma protein carbonyl levels in preeclampsia. Therefore, the serum uric acid level serves as an indicator of the underlying oxidative stress in preeclampsia.