Congenital Abnormalities Flashcards

1
Q

What are the most common serious congenital disorders?

A

1) Heart defects
2) Neural tube defects (NTDs)
3) Down syndrome

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2
Q

What are the types causes of congenital anomalies (although in many cases it is difficult to identify their cause)?

A

1) Genetic
2) Infectious
3) Environmental

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3
Q

How can congenital rubella syndrome be prevented?

A

Timely vaccination of mothers during childhood and the reproductive years

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4
Q

What are key ways to prevent and treat many birth anomalies?

A

1) Adequate intake of folic acid
2) Iodine
3) Vaccination
4) Adequate antenatal care

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5
Q

What are birth defects/congenital disorders/malformations?

A

Structural or functional anomalies incl. metabolic disorders, which are present at the time of birth

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6
Q

What % of recognised pregnancies (more bc many people don’t know they are pregnant e.g. in first 2 weeks) are lost before 12 weeks gestation (first trimester) ?

A

15%

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7
Q

Why do spontaneously aborted pregnancies occur?

A
  • 80-85% have gross structural abnormalities

- 50% chromosomal abnormalities - trisomy, monosomy, triploidy

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8
Q

What does a malformation signify?

A

That fetal growth and development did not proceed normally due to underlying genetic, epigenetic or environmental factors that altered the development of a particular structure

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9
Q

What are causes of malformations?

A

1) Monogenic/Mendelian (7.5%) e.g. achondroplasia (AD), achondrogenesis (AR)
2) Chromosomal (6%) e.g. T21
3) Multifactorial (20%) e.g. NTDs, isolated congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate

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10
Q

What are genetic causes of malformations?

A

1) Ectrodactyly Ectoderm dysplasia clefting (EEC) - P63
2) Diastrophic dysplasia - SLC26A2
3) Apert syndrome - FGFR2 - complete syndactyly of digits of hands
4) Grieg syndrome - GLI3

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11
Q

What are environmental causes of malformations?

A

1) Teratogens e.g. fetal valproate syndrome (similar symptoms to T21)
2) Thalidomide
3) Maternal medication

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12
Q

What is diabetic embryopathy caused by?

A

Poorly controlled maternal diabetes (hyperglycaemia in utero - if mum didn’t have diabetes, could be genetic

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13
Q

What are the clinical features of diabetic embryopathy?

A

1) Midline facial defects
2) Microtia (underdevelopment of ears)
3) Microsomia
4) Large or small birth weight
5) CNS malformations
6) NTDs

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14
Q

What are examples of congenital infections leading to specific syndromes/problems resulting from infection in pregnancy?

A

1) Zika
2) CMV
3) Rubella

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15
Q

What are clinical features of congenital zika syndrome?

A

1) Microcephaly
2) Problems with vision and hearing
3) Problems moving limbs and body
4) Damage to the brain (CNS defects)
5) Seizures
6) Problems with feeding (difficulty swallowing)

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16
Q

What is a feature of congenital CMV?

A

Significant neurological disorders

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17
Q

What are the 3 clinical features of congenital rubella syndrome?

A

1) Microcephaly
2) PDA (patent ductus arteriosus)
3) Cataracts

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18
Q

What are syndromes?

A

Collections of consistent recognisable patterns of abnormalities, not necessarily genetic

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19
Q

What are dysmorphisms?

A
  • Congenital malformations that have abnormal morphology
  • > 2400 described dysmorphic syndromes caused by single gene defect and chromosome imbalances
  • Syndrome may be associated with developmental delay
20
Q

What is the main cause of learning difficulties/intellectual disability/developmental delay?

A

Chromosomal abnormalities esp. Down’s syndrome (but many unknown causes)

21
Q

What is the baseline rate of major congenital abnormality?

A

1-2%
- Varies based on certain background facts e.g. poorly controlled diabetes, teratogenic drugs, previous baby with anomaly

22
Q

What abnormalities can be detected by US by organ?

A

1) Brain - acrania, holoprosencephaly
2) Spine - open spina bifida
3) Face - facial cleft, anopthalmia
4) Neck - cystic hygroma
5) Thorax - congenital diaphragmatic hernia
6) Abdominal wall - exomphalos, gastroschisis
7) Urinary tract - bilateral renal agenesis, urethral obstruction
8) Extremities - club foot, arthrogyposis
9) Skeleton - skeletal dysplasia, achondroplasia

23
Q

Why do you want to detect serious cardiac diseases on US?

A

So that the baby can be born at a specialist cardiac centre

24
Q

What congenital heart diseases can be seen on a four chambers view on an US?

A

1) Atrioventricular septal defect
2) Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
3) Ventricular septal defect
4) Ebstein’s anomaly

25
Q

What congenital heart diseases can be seen on a great vessels view on an US?

A

1) Transposition of the great arteries
2) Tetralogy of Fallot
3) Common arterial trunk
4) Coarctation of the aorta
5) Aortic valve stenosis

26
Q

Acrania - diagnostic features on US, prognosis, prevalence

A
  • US diagnosis = absence of ossified skull at 12 weeks or anencephaly at 16 weeks
  • Prognosis - lethal condition within first week of life (always riskier to stay pregnant than to terminate pregnancy)
  • Prevalence = 1:1000 at 12 weeks
27
Q

Alobar holoprosencephaly - diagnostic features on US, associated abnormalities, prognosis, prevalence

A
  • US diagnosis = forebrain abnormalities in transverse views
  • Associated abnormalities - T18 and T13 in > 50% of cases, genetic syndromes 20%
  • Prognosis - usually lethal in first year of life
  • Prevalence = 1:1300 at 12 weeks, 1:10,000 births
28
Q

Open spina bifida - diagnostic features on US, fetal therapy, prognosis, prevalence

A
  • US diagnosis = detailed examination of spine from head to sacrum, characteristic brain/skull findings = lemon or banana sign
  • Fetal therapy - closure by fetal surgery (open vs fetoscopy) may improve motor and urologic function
  • Prognosis - 35% 5 year mortality, 25% stillborn, surviving = paralysis, incontinence, normal intelligence
  • Prevalence = 1:1000 at 12 weeks
29
Q

Cleft lip and palate - diagnostic features on US, associated abnormalities, prognosis, prevalence

A
  • US diagnosis - detailed examination of face, can be picked up at 11-13 weeks, normally later
  • Associated abnormalities - 30% associated with variety of genetic syndromes
  • Prognosis - good if isolated, surgery at 3-6 months old, long term problems = dental, hearing, speech and psychological
  • Prevalence = 1:700, 50% (both lip and palate), 25% lip only, 25% palate only
30
Q

Diaphragmatic hernia - diagnostic features on US, associated abnormalities, fetal therapy, prognosis, prevalence

A
  • US diagnosis = defect in diaphragm, abdominal contents in thorax
  • Associated abnormalities = 20% chromosomal (T18/13), 10% genetic syndromes (e.g. Pallister-Killian Syndrome), 20% other systems defects
  • Fetal therapy - fetoscopic placement of balloon in trachea at 26 weeks (current RCT)
  • Prognosis - good if isolated and mild, survival = <15% if severe, 50% if moderate, >90% if mild
  • Prevalence = 1:4000
31
Q

What should you do if you find one thing wrong on a fetal anomaly scan?

A

Keep looking to see if there are more, bc mild deformities may be ok but might also indicate other symptoms

32
Q

What two NTDs count for 90% of all NTDs?

A

Anencephaly and spina bifida

33
Q

Describe the types of anencephaly and spina bifida cases

A
  • All anencephaly and most spina bifida cases are open defects where the neural tissue and meninges are exposed
  • 15-20% are closed where skin covers the defect and these are not detectable by biochemical testing
34
Q

What should be taken to prevent NTDs?

A

Folic acid - 2 months prior to pregnancy and 2 months into the pregnancy

35
Q

Describe the features of autosomal dominant inheritance

A
  • 50% recurrence risk
  • High new mutation rate
  • Variable gene expression and penetrance due to e.g. modifier genes, response to DNA damage, carcinogens and hormonal/reproductive factors
  • Even in one family, different people with the same mutation will have different phenotypes depending on the penetrance
36
Q

Describe the features of autosomal recessive inheritance

A
  • Often rare conditions
  • Usually in one generation
  • Increased risk with consanguinity
  • Parents usually obligate carriers
  • 25% recurrence risk at conception
  • ⅔ chance that unaffected sibling is a carrier
  • e.g. oculocutaneous albinism, MPS (Mucopolysaccharidosis), BBS (Bardet-Biedl syndrome)
37
Q

Describe the features of X-linked recessive inheritance

A
  • 1 in 4 risk at conception
  • 1 in 2 risk for male
  • Males more severely affected
  • Possible lethality in affected male
  • Manifesting carrier female
  • e.g. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)
38
Q

How would you assess someone with a congenital abnormality?

A

1) FH - 3 generation family tree esp. for X-linked disorder incl. age of adult onset disorders
2) Pregnancy history - maternal illness e.g. diabetes, medicines incl. drugs and alcohol, scan data, birth history
3) Developmental history - e.g. motor or speech delay
4) PMH - e.g. repaired congenital heart disease, anal atresia
5) Examination - growth parameters, objective description of congenital malformations, dysmorphology assessment
6) Investigations - array CGH, mutation testing for suspected single gene

39
Q

What are the clinical features of DMD?

A
  • Onset at 3-6 years
  • Progressive weakness
  • Pseudohypertrophy of calf muscles
  • Spinal deformity
  • Cardiopulmonary involvement
  • Mild to moderate MR
  • Significant weakness, disability and deformity leads to a lower life expectancy
  • Muscle weakness in all muscles leading to signs all around the body e.g. belly sticking out due to weak belly muscles and knees may and to take weight
40
Q

What are the features of myotonic dystrophy?

A
  • Autosomal dominant
  • Distal myopathy
  • Prolonged muscle contraction e.g. problems with opening lids or relaxing hands after squeezing hands
  • Heart conduction defect
  • Diabetes
  • Early onset cataract
  • 40 repeats is normal, the more repeats you have the more severe and earlier onset the disease becomes (mild to adult to childhood to congenital)
  • Triplet repeat disorder
  • Expansion becomes worse when passed to offspring (parent may only have v mild symptoms)
41
Q

What are the features of congenital myotonic dystrophy?

A
  • Genomic anticipation
  • Most severe form
  • Congenital hypotonia
  • Joint contractures (talipes)
  • Respiratory failure
  • Facial weakness
  • Swallowing difficulties
  • Developmental delay
  • Autism spectrum disorder
  • Massive expansion of myotonic dystrophy gene leads to severely hypotonic baby
  • At 16-18 week scan may see reduced mobility, contracture of knee, right hand clenched
  • Poor life expectancy, may terminate pregnancy
42
Q

What are the clinical features of Noonan syndrome?

A
  • Facial dysmorphology - up slanting eyes, wider neck
  • Pulmonary stenosis
  • Short stature
  • Intellectual disability
43
Q

What are examples of mutations in genes which function in the same pathway that may cause similar but distinct clinical phenotypes (Noonan syndrome)?

A

Some phenotypic overlap with (genes interact with one another):

  • Neurofibromatosis type 1 - especially NF1 and valvular pulmonary stenosis (similar Noonan-like faces - AKA Watson syndrome)
  • Cardio-facial-cutaneous syndrome - more severe learning difficulties and sparse hair/lack of eyebrows
  • Costello syndrome - severe developmental delay and learning difficulties and increased risk of malignancy
44
Q

What are the clinical features of neurofibromatosis type 1 (variable expression)?

A
  • Autosomal dominant
  • Caused by mutations (deletion) in the NF1 gene
  • Causes lumps/neurofibromas or v complex lumps on internal peripheral nerves called plexiforms
  • Freckling of eyes (Lisch nodules)
  • Coffee coloured patches (cafe au lait spots)
  • Bony defects incl. scoliosis and tibial bowing
  • Predisposition to developing tumours esp. optic gliomas on the optic nerve
45
Q

What are the two types of monogenic disorders?

A

1) Inherited/familial

2) De novo

46
Q

What are examples of monogenic disorders?

A

1) Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
2) Cystic fibrosis (CF)
3) Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)

47
Q

When would a prenatal referral be done for a monogenic disorder?

A

1) Due to FH of disorder

2) Due to US indicators e.g. echogenic bowel may indicate CF