Prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: Ultrasonography and molecular karyotyping results.

OBJECTIVE: To present the experience on prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) to further delineate the fetal presentation of this syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of ten pregnancies with fetal WHS identified by chromosomal microarray (CMA). Clinical data were reviewed for these cases, including maternal demographics, indications for invasive testing, sonographic findings, CMA results and pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: Three cases were diagnosed at the first trimester because of an increased NT or cystic hygroma. The remaining seven cases were identified at late gestation for abnormal ultrasound findings. CMA revealed 4p deletions to be terminal in all of the ten cases. Deletion sizes ranged from 2.05 to 19.02 Mb. CONCLUSION: Prenatal findings such as increased NT, severe and early onset intrauterine growth retardation, and renal dysplasia or oligohydramnios should warrant the diagnosis of WHS and invasive testing using CMA.

[Recombinant human epithelial growth factor accelerates healing of cervical erosion].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF) in promoting the healing of cervical erosion. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with cervical erosion were treated with rhEGF and 30 with 500 kHz high-frequency electromagnetic wave, and the effects of the therapies were compared in terms of healing of the cervical wound, healing time, volume of vaginal discharge and bleeding and the lasting time. RESULTS: In comparison with radiofrequency therapy, the healing of the lesion took significantly shorter time with rhEGF therapy, which also resulted in less vaginal discharge that lasted for shorter time without causing vaginal bleeding. CONCLUSION: rhEGF can obviously accelerate the healing of cervical erosion.

[Placental expression of human histocompatibility antigen-G mRNA in idiopathic fetal growth restriction and its relationship with pathological changes of placenta].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions of human histocompatibility antigen-G (HLA-G) mRNA in placenta of idiopathic fetal growth restriction (IFGR) and its relationship with pathogenesis of IFGR. METHODS: In situ hybridization was used to investigate the expression level and distribution of HLA-G mRNA in placentas of 20 cases of idiopathic IFGR and 28 cases of control group. HE stain was applied to observe the pathological changes of the placenta. RESULTS: (1) The incidence of placental pathological lesions in idiopathic IFGR (75%) was notably higher than those of the control group (18%), (chi2 = 15.67, P = 0.001). (2) In situ hybridization showed the positive expression rate of HLA-G mRNA in placenta of idiopathic IFGR was 45%, that of control group was 79%, with significant difference between the two groups (chi2 = 5.75, P = 0.017). HLA-G mRNA signal mainly expressed in cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast. (3) There was negative correlation between the expression rate of HLA-G mRNA and incidence of placental pathological lesions (r = -0.638, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant decrease in the expression of HLA-G mRNA in IFGR. HLA-G may play a role in the pathogenesis of IFGR.