Objective:To quantify the associations between periconceptional maternal homocysteine (HCY) and offspring′s birth weight and risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infant.Methods:The 19 984 mother-child pairs in this prospective cohort study were recruited from the Shanghai preconception cohort; the infants were delivered from 1 st September 2016 to 11 th November 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the mothers′ demographic information, medical history, dietary supplement use, and maternal complications during pregnancy, and their serum samples were collected. Serum HCY, folate, and vitamin B 12 were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay based on serum sample drawn at enrollment. Birth weight data were obtained from medical records. Multiple imputation methods were applied to handle missing data in key variables. Multivariable linear regression and Poisson regression models were used to analyze the relationship between maternal HCY concentration during the periconceptional period and the birth weight and SGA risk of the offspring. Results:A total of 9 452 pairs were enrolled preconceptionally and the remaining 10 532 pairs were enrolled in early pregnancy. The proportion of mothers whose pregnancy age was greater than 35 years was 9.2% (1 832/19 984), the proportion of primiparous women was 76.5% (15 283/19 984), the proportion of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity was 14.0% (2 804/19 984), the proportion of using folic acid supplements before pregnancy was 21.4% (4 272/19 984), and the proportion of those who supplemented with folic acid during early pregnancy was 85.2% (8 976/10 532); gestational diabetes mellitus was in 6.2% (1 245/19 984), gestational hypertensive syndrome in 3.6% (711/19 984). The birth weight of the offspring was (3 297±468) g, and there were 1 962 SGA children (9.8%). The HCY concentration in the overall population in appropriate for gestational age during the periconceptional period was (7.9±3.2) μmol/L, with (8.3±3.7) μmol/L in the preconception subgroup and (7.3±2.4) μmol/L in the early pregnancy subgroup. After adjustment for the covariates of perinatal demographic information, adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum folate and vitamin B 12, increased maternal periconceptional HCY was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight ( β=-2.30, 95% CI -4.43--0.16, P=0.035). Only the early pregnancy subgroup was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight ( β=-7.39, 95% CI-11.50--3.21, P<0.001). No association was found between peripregnancy HCY and offspring SGA risk. However, elevated HCY in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA in the offspring ( RR=1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08, P=0.002). Periconceptional vitamin B 12 was a mediator of the association between HCY and offspring birth weight, accounting for 16.5%, 41.2% and 5.4% of its total effect in the overall periconceptional population, the pre-pregnancy subgroup and the early pregnancy subgroup, respectively. Conclusions:Maternal periconceptional HCY level is associated with lower birth weight in offspring, but not with the risk of SGA. Elevated maternal HCY in early pregnancy subgroup may be associated with increased risk of SGA in offspring.

Background::Heterotaxy (HTX) is a thoracoabdominal organ anomaly syndrome and commonly accompanied by congenital heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to analyze rare copy number variations (CNVs) in a HTX/CHD cohort and to examine the potential mechanisms contributing to HTX/CHD.Methods::Chromosome microarray analysis was used to identify rare CNVs in a cohort of 120 unrelated HTX/CHD patients, and available samples from parents were used to confirm the inheritance pattern. Potential candidate genes in CNVs region were prioritized via the DECIPHER database, and PNPLA4 was identified as the leading candidate gene. To validate, we generated PNPLA4-overexpressing human induced pluripotent stem cell lines as well as pnpla4-overexpressing zebrafish model, followed by a series of transcriptomic, biochemical and cellular analyses. Results::Seventeen rare CNVs were identified in 15 of the 120 HTX/CHD patients (12.5%). Xp22.31 duplication was one of the inherited CNVs identified in this HTX/CHD cohort, and PNPLA4 in the Xp22.31 was a candidate gene associated with HTX/CHD. PNPLA4 is expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm, which is known to be critical for left/right embryonic patterning as well as cardiomyocyte differentiation, and in the neural crest cell lineage. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro analyses at the molecular and cellular levels, we revealed that the biological function of PNPLA4 is importantly involved in the primary cilia formation and function via its regulation of energy metabolism and mitochondria-mediated ATP production. Conclusions::Our findings demonstrated a significant association between CNVs and HTX/CHD. Our data strongly suggested that an increased genetic dose of PNPLA4 due to Xp22.31 duplication is a disease-causing risk factor for HTX/CHD.

Objective:To explore the characteristics of postoperative hemodynamic changes in patients with early allograft dysfunction (EAD), and to provide clinical imaging support for the early diagnosis of EAD.Methods:A total of 907 patients who underwent liver transplantation in Tianjin First Central Hospital from December 2012 to June 2021 were retrospectively selected, and they were divided into EAD group (361 cases) and non-EAD group (546 cases) according to EAD diagnostic criteria. The peak systolic velocity(PSV) of the hepatic artery, end-diastolic velocity(EDV) of the hepatic artery, resistance index(RI), S/D(PSV/EDV), diameter of the portal vein(PVD), velocity of the portal vein(PVV), diameter of the middle hepatic vein(MHVD), velocity of the middle hepatic vein(MHVV), the diameter of the right hepatic vein(RHVD), and the velocity of the right hepatic vein (RHVV) were collected from 1 to 7 days after operation (a total of 5 573 ultrasound examination results), and the differences in ultrasound hemodynamic parameters were compared between the two groups. The correlation of S/D<2, PSV<25 cm/s, PVV<15 cm/s, MHVV or RHVV<15 cm/s within 3 days after operation with the occurence of EAO were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Results:①The PSV and EDV of the hepatic artery in the EAD group and the non-EAD group showed a slow upward trend at 1-7 days after operation, while the hepatic artery RI and PVV showed a downward trend, the MHVV and RHVV did not fluctuate significantly. ②The hepatic artery in the EAD group showed low-resistance blood flow in the early postoperative period, and the EDV were significantly higher than that in the non-EAD group on 1 d, 2 d, 3 d and 5 d, RI was significantly lower than that of the non-EAD group (all P<0.05); At 4 d, 6 d and 7 d, there was no significant differences of EDV and RI between the two groups(all P>0.05). The PSV of the EAD group was higher than that of the non-EAD group on 3 d ( P<0.05). Among the parameters of portal vein blood flow, the PVV in the EAD group was significantly higher than that in the non-EAD group on 1 d ( P<0.05), and there was no significant difference of PVD between the two groups at day 1-7. Among the parameters of hepatic venous blood flow, the MHVV and RHVV in the EAD group were significantly lower than those in the non-EAD group (all P<0.05), there was no significant difference between the two groups of MHVD and RHVD at 1-7 days. ③The incidence of grafted hepatic artery S/D<2 within 3 days after operation in EAD group was higher than that in non-EAD group. Binary Logistic regression multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of grafted hepatic artery S/D<2 within 3 days after operation was significantly correlated with the occurrence of EAD[Exp(B)=1.878, P<0.05]. Conclusions:Patients who develop EAD after liver transplantation show low-resistance blood flow in the hepatic artery during the perioperative period, and the occurrence of hepatic artery S/D<2 within 3 days after operation can early predict the occurrence of EAD.

Objective:To analyze the changes of peripheral perfusion index (PPI) with late-onset sepsis (LOS) in very low birth weight infants during hospitalization.Methods:Very low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from August 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 were consecutively included.Infants with admission age ≥three days and unstable circulation, or positive blood culture within three days after birth were excluded.From the day of admission, the PPI values of the right hand and either foot of the infants were measured with Masimo SET Radical-7 everyday while whether LOS occurred during hospitalization was observed.The mean PPI curve of very and extremely low birth weight infants without LOS was plotted.For those with LOS confirmed by blood culture, the PPI change trajectory three days before and after the occurrence of LOS was drawn, and the change trend of PPI before the occurrence of LOS was analyzed by trend chi-square test.Non-parametric test was used to analyze the effect of LOS on pre- and post-ductal PPI values.Results:A total of 107 very low birth weight infants were included in the final analysis.Among them, there were 11 infants confirmed as LOS by blood culture, 37 infants diagnosed as clinical LOS, and 59 infants without LOS.Pre-and post-ductal PPI values of very low birth weight infants without LOS were 2.06±1.30 and 1.72±0.92, respectively; those with clinical LOS were 1.90±0.94 and 1.58±0.83, respectively; those with LOS confirmed by blood culture were 1.92±1.11 and 1.62±0.82, respectively.For infants with LOS confirmed by blood culture, the pre-and post-ductal PPI values showed a continuous downward trend during three days before the onset of disease, with the lowest PPI values on the first day before the diagnosis of blood culture.The downtrend of pre-ductal PPI was statistically significant ( χtrend2=5.57, P<0.05). Conclusion:The PPI value of very low birth weight infants show a downward trend when LOS occurs.It should be observed dynamically in clinical practice, which is helpful to suspect or identify LOS as early as possible.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of a patient with STISS syndrome due to variant of PSMD12 gene. METHODS: Clinical data and result of genetic testing of a patient who was admitted to Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine on October 4, 2020 were analyzed, together with a review of relevant literature. RESULTS: The patient was found to harbor a heterozygous c.601C>T (p.Arg201*) nonsense variant of the PSMD12 gene, which was unreported previously. Clinically, the height of the patient has differed significantly from reported in the literature. An extremely rare case of STISS syndrome due to variant of the PSMD12 gene has been diagnosed. CONCLUSION Whether the severely short stature is part of the clinical spectrum for PSMD12 gene variants needs to be further explored, and the efficacy and safety of growth hormone therapy has yet to be determined.
Child ; Humans ; China ; Dwarfism ; Genetic Testing ; Heterozygote ; Syndrome

Objective:To obtain the normal reference range of ultrasound hemodynamic parameters after liver transplantation through big data query and statistical analysis, and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods:The clinical liver transplantation Ultrasound Image Database Software V1.0 developed by Tianjin First Center Hospital was used to query adult patients after liver transplantation from December 2012 to June 2021. The ultrasonic hemodynamic parameters including the diameter of portal vein (PVD), the flow velocity of portal vein (PVV), the peak flow velocity of hepatic artery (S), the end diastolic flow velocity of hepatic artery (D), the S/D of hepatic artery, the resistance index of hepatic artery (RI), the diameter of middle hepatic vein (MHVD), the flow velocity of middle hepatic vein (MHVV), the diameter of right hepatic vein (RHVD), the flow velocity of right hepatic vein (RHVV), in the first day (1D), the seventh day (7D), the first month (1M), the sixth month (6M), the first year (1Y), the fifth year (5Y) and the tenth year (10Y) after operation were analyzed statistically, and the 95% reference value range of each parameter was obtained.Results:A total of 1 740 patients with 12 242 monitoring results after adult liver transplantation were included, and the longest follow-up time was 22 years. There was no significant change in PVD. PVV decreased slightly from postoperative 1D to long-term follow-up. The S and D of hepatic artery were the highest in group 7D after liver transplantation, and then decreased gradually with the extension of postoperative time. Hepatic artery S/D was the lowest in group 7D after operation, with the extension of monitoring time after liver transplantation, it showed an upward trend, but fluctuated. Hepatic artery RI was the highest in postoperative 1D group, and fluctuated with the extension of monitoring time after liver transplantation. There was no significant change in MHVD and RHVD.MHVV and RHVV were the highest in group 7D after liver transplantation, with the extension of postoperative monitoring time, they showed a decreasing trend and fluctuated. The normal range of each parameter was estimated according to the range of 95% medical reference value. The influencing factors of blood flow monitoring of transplanted liver were analyzed, including the various factors in perioperative period, the surgery, the primary disease before operation, the source of donor, the postoperative infection, rejection, drug damage, individual differences and so on.Conclusions:This study obtains the trend of each parameter with the extension of follow-up time and the reference value range of each parameter after liver transplantation, which is of great clinical significance for early detection and diagnosis of postoperative vascular complications. However, the blood flow after adult liver transplantation is affected by many factors. In clinical monitoring, it is necessary to make judgment combined with the individual state of patients and conduct dynamic follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for 7 patients with Alström syndrome. METHODS: DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patients and their parents. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the patients. Suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: Genetic testing revealed 12 variants of the ALMS1 gene among the 7 patients, including 7 nonsense and 5 frameshift variants, which included c.5418delC (p.Tyr1807Thrfs*23), c.10549C>T (p.Gln3517*), c.9145dupC (p.Thr3049Asnfs*12), c.10819C>T (p.Arg3607*), c.5701_5704delGAGA (p.Glu1901Argfs*18), c.9154_9155delCT (p.Cys3053Serfs*9), c.9460delG (p.Val3154*), c.9379C>T (p.Gln3127*), c.12115C>T (p.Gln4039*), c.1468dupA (p.Thr490Asnfs*15), c.10825C>T (p.Arg3609*) and c.3902C>A (p.Ser1301*). Among these, c.9154_ 9155delCT, c.9460delG, c.9379C>T, and c.1468dupA were unreported previously. Based on the standards and guidelines of American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the c.9379C>T and c.12115C>T variants of the ALMS1 gene were predicted to be likely pathogenic (PVS1+PM2), whilst the other 10 variants were predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2+ PP3+PP4). CONCLUSION ALMS1 variants probably underlay the Alström syndrome in the 7 patients, and genetic testing can provide a basis for the clinical diagnosis of this syndrome. The discovery of four novel variants has expanded the mutational spectrum of Alström syndrome.
Alstrom Syndrome/genetics* ; Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Whole Exome Sequencing

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of a child with frontometaphyseal dysplasia 1 (FMD1) due to variant of FLNA gene. METHODS: Clinical phenotype of the patient was analyzed. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out to detect pathogenic genetic variants. Sanger sequencing was used to verify the result in his parents. RESULTS: The 2-year-and-9-month-old boy presented with facial dysmorphism (supraorbital hyperostosis, down-slanting palpebral fissure and ocular hypertelorism), skeletal deformities (bowed lower limbs, right genu valgum, left genu varus, slight deformity of index and middle fingers, and flexion contracture of little fingers). He also had limited left elbow movement. High-throughput sequencing revealed that he has carried a de novo heterogeneous c.3527G>A (p.Gly1176Glu) missense variant of the FLNA gene. The same variant was found in neither parent. CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of FMD1 such as joint contracture and bone dysplasia can occur in infancy and deteriorate with age, and require long-term follow-up and treatment. Above finding has expanded the spectrum of FLNA gene variants.
Child ; Filamins/genetics* ; Forehead/abnormalities* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics* ; Phenotype ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective: To expand the knowledge of the clinical and molecular characteristics of the children with Bloom syndrome. Methods: Clinical data of two siblings with classic Bloom syndrome of Shanghai Children's Medical Center from January 2009 to June 2017 were obtained and analyzed. The DNA of peripheral blood was collected from two Bloom syndrome siblings and their parents during 2015. The mutations were detected with high-throughput sequencing by Illumina sequencing platform. Results: The two siblings (probands) visited our department for short stature and growth retardation, they had full-term normal delivery after normal pregnancy of their mother. Both cases presented with feeding difficulties, malnutrition, microcephaly and mental retardation, repeated infection, symmetrical short stature and special faces. At first, the proband was an 8-year-3-month old girl, her height was 99.7 cm, body mass index (BMI) 12.07 kg/m², head circumference was 45.5 cm, and birth weight was 1.6 kg. Her younger brother was 3-year-11-month old, his height was 86.6 cm, BMI was 14 kg/m², birth weight was 1.95 kg, and the head circumference reached 36 cm at 16 months. No evidence of cancer and characteristic rash was detected at 8-year follow-up. Pathogenic complex heterozygous mutations c.772_773delCT, p.Leu258Glufs*7 and c.959+ 2T>A in BLM gene were detected in both siblings, which were separately inherited from their unaffected parents. Besides , c.959 + 2T>A has not been reported previously. Conclusions Children with Bloom syndrome are characterized by short stature, microcephaly, special faces, feeding difficulties, and immunodeficiency. And butterfly erythematous rash may be absent. The c.959+2T>A mutation detected in our patients maybe a novel pathogenic mutation.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of application of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donor liver in adult liver transplantation. Methods Clinical efficacy of 28 recipients with liver diseases induced by virus B hepatitis (hepatitis B) undergoing liver transplantation using HBsAg-positive donor liver from July 2012 to October 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical prognosis and postoperative complications of the recipients were summarized. The changing features of serum levels of HBsAg and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was investigated. Results After liver transplantation, 28 recipients were orally administered with entecavir to prevent the recurrence of hepatitis B. During perioperative period, 2 recipients died from sepsis and acute heart failure. During postoperative follow-up, 2 cases died from the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). The remaining 24 patients were followed up for 12-26 months. Throughout the follow-up, 24 recipients were positive for serum HBsAg. After treatment, the titre of HBV DNA was significantly declined to <1×102 copies/mL at postoperative 12 months. No graft dysfunction induced by hepatitis B recurrence occurred in 24 recipients alive. Conclusions As a marginal donor liver, HBsAg-positive liver graft is safe for liver transplantation in the recipients with hepatitis B-related liver diseases. Postoperatively, anti-HBV treatment should be strengthened and intimate follow-up should be delivered.