Biomedical subjects

U Langenbeck

Publications and source records attributed to U Langenbeck.

95 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Laboratory diagnosis of congenital human cytomegalovirus infection using polymerase chain reaction and shell vial culture.

Congenital HCMV infection was diagnosed at the 22th week of gestation. The infection was suspected because HCMV IgM was detected in a serum sample obtained from the woman's husband. HCMV infection was detected in the amniotic fluid by polymerase chain reaction, shell vial culture (immunoperoxidase assay) and conventional virus isolation. Serologic testing in paired sera of the woman and in umbilical cord blood for specific IgM and IgA remained negative. As serological data (preconceptional HCMV serostatus) were incomplete, a clear differentiation between primary and secondary infection could not be achieved; consequently, risk quantification could not be determined. Viruria was detected in the offspring during the 1st week post partum. No clinical signs of cytomegalic inclusion disease were diagnosed up to six weeks post partum. Our case report indicates that for pregnancy surveillance, serologic testing for HCMV antibody should also be performed in the spouse.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Propionic acidemia with myelination disorders of the CNS].

Clinical course and special diagnostic procedures in a 7 1/2 weeks old dystrophic infant with propionic acidemia are described. The disorder manifested with vomiting and diarrhea within the first week of life when the child was on a cow milk formula. Parenteral nutrition with glucose and electrolytes led to improvement. When oral nutrition with a cow milk formula was implemented again, an acute deterioration with diarrhoea and vomiting occurred. Thus, a diagnosis of cow milk allergy was suggested. There was also a severe muscular hypotony. Oral nutrition with a soybean formula did not prevent further clinical deterioration. At 7 1/2 weeks of age the patient died with symptoms of cardiogenic shock. The correct diagnosis was considered too late and confirmed post mortem. Clinical symptoms in the neonatal period like vomiting, muscular hypotony and failure to thrive should alert the physician to a possible diagnosis of a hereditary organic aciduria. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of urinary organics acids, in the present case, established the diagnosis. On autopsy, spongy degenerations were found in CNS.

Acidosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Intermittent maple syrup urine disease in a 12-year-old boy: clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment].

A variant form of maple syrup urine disease (grade II) in a twelve year old boy is reported. The clinical picture was characterized by seizure-like episodes of confusion and intermittent ataxia. The diagnosis was made by showing an increased excretion of branched-chain alpha-hydroxy acids as well as evaluated plasma concentrations of the branched-chain aminoacids and alpha-ketoacids. There was a decrease of leucine degradation in cultured fibroblasts to 5 to 6% of normal. The treatment with thiamine-hydrochlorid remained without any clinical or biochemical effect in our patient. Further neurologic symptoms during acute episodes of vomiting could be avoided by dietary protein restriction and early parenteral glucose supplementation.

Ataxia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Fryns syndrome--pre and postnatal diagnosis].

Fryns, in 1979, delineated an autosomal recessive lethal syndrome of multiple congenital malformations, including diaphragmatic defect, craniofacial anomalies and distal limb hypoplasia. So far, 33 cases of Fryns syndrome have been published. We here report the fourth case of Fryns syndrome with consanguinous parents. It was the second child of healthy Turkish parents (first cousins). Pregnancy was complicated by massive polyhydramnios since week 32. Imperforate anus and diaphragmatic defect was detected by ultrasound. Spontaneous delivery occurred in week 37, the child died 5 hrs after birth. Major symptoms were a partial aplasia of the left diaphragm, coarse facies, absent nails of the fifth fingers and fifth toes, VSD, imperforate anus and cerebellar heterotopia. We discuss, in the context of our observation and of the reports in the literature, the possible heterogeneity of Fryns syndrome and the possibility of prenatal diagnosis.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Alpha fetoprotein in maternal serum in pregnancies with trisomy 18].

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) was assayed before amniocentesis in 2441 pregnancies of women age 35 or over and of women with prior birth of a child with a chromosome anomaly. Ten cases of trisomy 18 and 25 cases of trisomy 21 were detected. In trisomy 18 without neural tube defect we found MS-AFP levels significantly lower than in trisomy 21.

Adult↗