Can Treatment of Patent Ductus Arteriosus with Ibuprofen Compared to Supportive Management Affect Regional Brain Volume in Very Low Birth Weight Infants? A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare cerebral hemispheric volumes between pharmacologic treatment and supportive management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). METHODS: The study was conducted retrospectively. The subjects of period 1 group were very low birth weight infants whose PDA were treated with pharmacologic closure. Period 2 group were treated with supportive management. Regional brain volumes measured using magnetic resonance imaging were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: total of 12 infants were included. Their median gestational age was 27⁺⁶ (range: 24⁺¹–31⁺¹) weeks and birth weight was 1,065 g (range: 690–1,380). Between the two groups, there was no difference in Apgar score, incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and culture proven sepsis. The regional brain volumes such as gray matter (Period 1 group, 76,833 mm³ [55,759–100,388] vs. Period 2 group, 79,870 mm³ [59,957–113,018], P=0.59), white matter (82,993 mm³ [63,130–121,311] vs. 92,576 mm³ [77,200–104,506], P=0.18), cerebrospinal fluid (17,167 mm³ [9,279–22,760] vs. 14,348 mm³ [7,018–27,604], P=0.94), basal ganglia (2,065 mm³ [1,697–2,482] vs. 2,306 mm³ [2,065–3,009], P=0.18), and cerebellum (18,374 mm³ [14,843–24,657] vs. 18,096 mm³ [16,134–23,627], P=0.94) were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Regional brain volumes were not different between pharmacological and conservative treatment in infants with PDA. Further wellcontrolled studies are required to evaluate the advantages or disadvantages of supportive management without pharmacologic treatment of PDA.

The Use of Rituximab with Immune Tolerance Induction Therapy for Hemophilia A with Inhibitors / 임상소아혈액종양

Inhibitor development is one of the major adverse events associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with congenital hemophilia. Recent treatment for them is immune tolerance induction (ITI), which involves the administration of high doses of factor concentrates over a prolonged period, sometimes combined with immunosuppressive agents. We report a case of inhibitor elimination with Rituximab, and high-dose factor VIII concentrates in a 5-year-old boy with hemophilia A. The patient improved clinically, with fewer bleeding episodes. However, he continued to have low immunoglobulin levels, which led to recurrent infections. After an infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin, inhibitor titers increased rapidly and his ITI was deemed a failure. In conclusion, even though it failed in the present study, Rituximab may be an alternative adjuvant therapy to eliminate the inhibitor in patients with hemophilia. The appropriate schedule and long-term side effects need further investigation.

The Use of Rituximab with Immune Tolerance Induction Therapy for Hemophilia A with Inhibitors / 임상소아혈액종양

Inhibitor development is one of the major adverse events associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with congenital hemophilia. Recent treatment for them is immune tolerance induction (ITI), which involves the administration of high doses of factor concentrates over a prolonged period, sometimes combined with immunosuppressive agents. We report a case of inhibitor elimination with Rituximab, and high-dose factor VIII concentrates in a 5-year-old boy with hemophilia A. The patient improved clinically, with fewer bleeding episodes. However, he continued to have low immunoglobulin levels, which led to recurrent infections. After an infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin, inhibitor titers increased rapidly and his ITI was deemed a failure. In conclusion, even though it failed in the present study, Rituximab may be an alternative adjuvant therapy to eliminate the inhibitor in patients with hemophilia. The appropriate schedule and long-term side effects need further investigation.

Clinical Analysis of 501 Cases of Mid-trimester Genetic Amniocentesis / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the change of indications and chromosomal abnormalities according to pateint's age and indications in midtrimester genetic amniocentesis. METHODS: This study reviewed 501 prenatal genetic amniocentesis cases from June 1995 to April 2004 which were done at Presbyterian Medical Center. We analized the changes of the indication, age distribution and chromosomal results according to maternal age and indications of amniocentesis. RESULTS: In 501 cases, the most common maternal and gestational age distributions were 30-34 years old and 17 weeks (32.54% and 25.98%, respectively). Abnormal maternal serum markers were the most common indications for amniocentesis (46.9%), and followed by old age (24.96%), combined old age and abnormal maternal serum screening (14.38%), ultrasonographic abnormality (4.60%). The overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities were 3.79% (19 cases), of which numerical abnormalities and structural abnormalities were 1.79% (9 cases) and 2.0% (10 cases), respectively. In autosomal disorders, Down syndrome 4 cases, translocation 3 cases, mosaicism 2 cases, deletion 1case were diagnosed. In sex chromosomal disorders, Turner syndrome 1 case and mosaicism 2 cases (Turner syndrome 1 case, Triple X chromosome 1 case) were diagnosed. No statistic significance was found among different age groups. Those who had ultrasonographic abnormalities were found to have correlation with chromosomal abnormalities than other indications. CONCLUSION: Among the several indications for prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis, ultrasonographic abnormalities and abnormal maternal serum markers might be important indications. Especially, ultrasonographic abnormalities could be the most predictive markers for abnormal fetal karyotypes.

A Case of Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor with Raised Alpha-Fetoprotein In a Patient with Thyroid Adenoma / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor (SLCT) which belong to the group of sex-cord stromal tumors is a rare ovarian tumor. It usually develops the symptom of masculinization by excessive testosterone from the Leydig cell. In most cases, SLCTs are unilaterally localized (97-98%) and prognosis prove generally favorable with 5-year survival rate (79-90%). Recurrence is rare after a complete resection as well. Rare SLCTs secrete the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). There is a increasing tendency for the SLCTs that have heterologous elements and low differentiation to secrete the AFP, which is useful in diagnosis of recurrence. The association of a thyroid adenoma and a SLCT has been described rarely. The relation between these two tumors has been suggested on the basis of a relatively high incidence of thyroid adenomas in the presence of such an uncommon ovarian neoplasm. It seems likely that this tumor complex is genetically determined by the aspect of familial neoplastic syndromes. We experienced a case of Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor with AFP-producing Sertoli cells in a 33-years old woman who has past history of thyroid adenoma, amenorrhea and a huge abdominal mass. Therefore, we present it with a brief review of literature.

A Clinical study on the incompetent internal Os of the Cervix / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Mcdonald's cerclage and postoperative care on perinatal outcome in patient with incompetent cervix and bulging fetal membranes. METHODS: In the descriptive study, the charts of 78 patients admitted from 1993 to 1997 with a diagnosis of incompetent cervix and cervical dilatation (3cm) were reviewed, Mcdonald's cerclage rate, predisposing factor, fetal salvage by time, factors of falled operation, delivery type were analyzed. RESULTS: The results of the study were as follows; The incidence of II OC was 0.4% of 18702 case, the mean age was 31.9 years old, the average number of gravida was 2.9, the fetal salvage rate was 83.3%, the predisposing factor was previous history of midtrimester termination(56.4%), dilation and curettage(19.2%), unknown(14.1%) etc, the fetal salvage by time was the highest success rate(88.9%) revealed with period from 14th to 16th weeks of gestation, the factors of falled operation were preterm labor(76.9%), PROM(15.4%), infection(7.7%), and delivery type was vaginal delivery in 36 case(55.4%), cesarean section in 29 case(44.6%). CONCLUSION: We concluded that fetal salvage rate was greatly increased when Mcdonald operation was done from 14th to 16th week of gestation if midtrimester abortion and dilatation and curettage were experienced, Even though we have not compared experimental group with control group, upper part of Mcdonald cerclage, no exposure of suture material, benzol conium dressing, bed rest were increased to fetal salvage rate.

A Clinical and Statistical Study on Pregnancy of Elderly Primipara / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: Recently, the incidence of elderly primipara is increasing. Thus, impact of old age on pregnancy outcomes became important. Our purpose was to assess the effect of maternal age on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: 73 cases of the elderly primipara over 35 years at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Chon-ju presbyterian medical center, from Jan. 1, 1995 to Dec. 31, 1998, were compared with 73 cases randomly chosen young primiparas during same period. RESULTS: Elderly primipara had higher rate of infertility and spontaneous abortion history, antenatal complications, cesarean section, poorer neonatal outcome than young primipara. CONCLUSION: The pregnancy outcome of elderly primipara is considered to be less favorable than those of young primipara. Careful antenatal and intrapartal care should be performed for the elderly primipara. We think that many clinical study of congenital anomaly in elderly primipara will be necessary.