Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major cause of death in premature neonates, and it is caused by the failure of morphological and biochemical lung maturation (synthesis and secretion of lung surfactant). It is known that cortisol, thyroxine, prolactin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and estrogen accelerate the lung maturation. Cortisol and thyroxine are currently used in the antenatal treatment for the prevention of RDS in premature neonates. In order to evaluate the effect of EGF on the levels of cortsol, thyroxine, and prolactin, this study was undertaken. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with and without EGF was directly injected into the 25 days gestational fetus in uterus. Blood was collected for the measurement of cortisol, thyroxine, and prolactin one day or two days after the injection. Body weights and lung weights were also measured. The results were as follows: 1. There was no significant difference in body weights and lung weights between PBS-treated group(control group) and EGF-treated poup(experimental group), 24 hours and 48 hours after the injection. 2. 24 hours after the injection, the levels of cortisol were significantly inaeased in the EGF-treated group compared with those in the PBS-treated group. However 48 hours after the injection, there was no significant difference in the levels of cortisol between the two groups. The levels of thyroxine and prolactin in the EGF-treated group did not significantly differ from those in the PBS-treated group 24 hours and 48 hours after the injection. In conclusion, in vivo, the synthesis of cortisol may be affected by EGF treatment, which suggests that the action of EGF for lung maturation may be partially mediated by the increased endogenous levels of cortisol.
Body Weight ; Cause of Death ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Estrogens ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; Prolactin* ; Rabbits* ; Thyroxine* ; Uterus ; Weights and Measures

Congenital anomalies occur in 2-3% of neonates but this incidence increases in multiple pregnancies, especially when fetuses are monozygotic. when pregnancies are affected with one anomalous fetus combined to a normal one, the proper management and counseling is difficult.We experienced a twin pregnancy in which one anencephalic fetus was combined to a normal one. Karyotype analysis was normal in both fetus. After close counseling we decided to continue the pregnancy. Intermittent amnioreduction was done for persistent polyhydramnios. At 29 weeks of gestation membrane was ruptured prematurely and we delivered by cesarean section due to breech-cephalic presentation. The birth weight of the normal and anencephalic fetuses were 1070 gm and 1050 gm, respectively. The anencephalic fetus died immediately after birth but the healthy one showed good crying and movement and its Apgar score was 6 in 1 minute and 8 in 5 minute. Although the infant needed intensive care for 90 days in the nursery room finally discharged in good condition. We report a case of twin pregnancy in which anencephaly was associated with a normal fetus, so after close counseling we opted to continue the pregnancy resulting in the delivery of a viable fetus.
Anencephaly ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Counseling ; Crying ; Female ; Fetus* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Critical Care ; Karyotype ; Membranes ; Nurseries ; Parturition ; Polyhydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Twins*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze chromosomal abnormalities according to patient's age and indications of patients in midtrimester amniocentesis for prenatal genetic diagnosis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 3,503 cases of midtrimester prenatal genetic amniocentesis cases which were done in the cytogenetic laboratory at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. RESULTS: In 3,503 cases, the most common maternal and gestational age distributions were 35 to 39 years old and 17 to 17 week 6 days (32.2% and 21.5%, respectively). Abnormal maternal serum markers was the most common indication for amniocentesis (46.4%), and followed by advanced maternal age (40.3%) and abnormal ultrasonographic findings (3.2%). The overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 180 cases (5.1%), of which numerical abnormalities and structural abnormalities were 78 cases (2.2%) and 102 cases (2.9%), respectively. Among the autosomal abnormalities, Down syndrome was most common (33 cases, 0.9%), and followed by Edward syndrome (17 cases, 0.5%). Among the sex chromosomal abnormalities, 45,X was the most common (6 cases, 0.2%). Chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in the maternal age 18-19 years old (14.3%), 40 to 44 years old (7.0%), 25 to 29 years old (6.1%), 30 to 34 years old (5.2%), and followed by 20 to 24 years old (4.1%). On the other hand, chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in abnormal ultrasonographic findings (12.4%), previous history of aneuploidy (8.3%), and followed by family history of aneuploidy (7.0%). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that although advanced maternal age is still important indication in midtrimester amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis, abnormal maternal serum markers and ultrasonographic findings might be also important as indications. Therefore, they should be considered in prenatal genetic counseling.
Adult ; Amniocentesis* ; Aneuploidy ; Biomarkers ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis* ; Cytogenetics* ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Gestational Age ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease, complete revascularization (CR) for non-culprit lesions is not routinely recommended. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of multivessel compared with infarct-related artery (IRA)-only revascularization in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) database, 1,094 STEMI patients with multivessel disease who underwent primary PCI with drug-eluting stents were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: culprit-vessel-only revascularization (COR, n=827) group; multivessel revascularization, including non-IRA (MVR, n=267) group. The primary endpoint of this study included major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), such as death, myocardial infarction, or target or nontarget lesion revascularization at one year. RESULTS: There was no difference in clinical characteristics between the two groups. During the one-year follow-up, 102 (15.2%) patients in the COR group and 32 (14.2%) in the MVR group experienced at least one MACE (p=0.330). There were no differences between the two groups in terms of rates of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization (2.1% vs. 2.0%, 0.7% vs. 0.8%, and 11.7% vs. 10.1%, respectively; p=0.822, 0.910, and 0.301, respectively). The MACE rate was higher in the incompletely revascularized patients than in the completely revascularized patients (15% vs. 9.5%, p=0.039), and the difference was attributable to a higher rate of nontarget vessel revascularization (8.6% vs. 1.8%, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Although multivessel angioplasty during primary PCI for STEMI did not reduce the MACE rate compared with culprit-vessel-only PCI, CR was associated with a lower rate of repeat revascularization after multivessel PCI.
Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention