Haemolytic disease of the newborn due to anti-A antibodies

Volume 59 Number 6

SELECTED

Woodside, Moya: 57:

600,

Sexual and Psychological

1393

ABSTRACTS

Adjustment

After

Sterilization,

West.

J. Surg.

1949.

The physical and psychological adjustment of patients following sterilization has not received the attention which the subject merits. In the group of sterilized women under consideration here the indications for operation were medical and the procedure was either tubal ligation or bilateral salpingectomy. When this group of women was studied fourteen months following operation the general health had improved in approximately 50 per cent and deteriorated in 6 per cent. Menstruation was unchanged in 60 per cent, coitus was practiced more frequently in a small percentage of the patients, but otherwise there was little change It was in the psychological sphere that the in the physical behavior or the react.ion pattern. The fear of pregnancy having been removed, there was greatest difference was observed. less anxiety and according to the author the individuals were happier. In those patients where the psychological attitude of the patient had deteriorated following the operation, the changes were ascribed by the author to neurotic personality and maladjustment in life situation. It is stated by the author that the results of operation would have been improved if il. had been Conviming evitlrner is not presented to support most of performed earlier in many patients. the conclusions reached in this article. WILI,TA~~ BICKERS.

Newborn Rychener, R. 0.:

Retrolental

Fibroplasia,

Illinois

M. J. 96: 299, 1949.

The author briefly reviews the literature concerning retrolental fibroplasia in premature infants and presents two cases of his own. He cites the incidence of approximately 12 per cent in premature infants under 3 pounds and emphasizes the futility of any known treatment. He adds to the generally gloomy picture by speculating about the etiology of this disease without any specific data to support these contentions. 8. B. GUSBERG. Lucia,

S. P.,

Maternal Relation

and Hunt, M. L.: Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn. II. An Analysis of Ante-Partum Factors in a Sample of Sensitized Rh-Negative Women in to the Clinical Condition of Their Offspring, J. Lab. & Clin. Med. 35: 28,

1950. An analysis of 198 pregnancies in sensitized Rh-negative patients is presented in an attempt to evaluate the factors that might help predict the fetal outcome. Of these patients, 96 gave birth to infants with hemolytic disease and 102 bore normal infants. Of the total group there were 172 Rh-positive infants giving an inc,idence of 56 per cent hemolytic disease in this group; of these 96, 48 died. The most important factor with respect to damaged infants appeared to be higher amounts of maternal Rh antibodies in albumin diluent (L‘incomplete” antibodies) than in (2) considerable amounts of Rh antibodies in saline, followed in order by the other factors: maternal serum during the last month; (3) appearance of antibodies earlier than 10 weeks before term; (4) the presence of Rh antibodies on all successive testings after their first appearance; (5) the presence of ABO compatibility between mother and child. The c.omplexity of assaying these factors in an individual case is evident, but t,he authors state that hemolytie disease never occurred in t,heir group if 2 or more of these factors were absent. 8. B. GUSBERG.

Boorman, K. E., Dodd, B. E., and Trinick, R. II.: Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn to Anti-A Antibodies, Lancet (London), p. 1088, June 35, 1949. The presence of immune anti-A and anti-B agglutinins in maternal high titer, does not identify the cause of hemolysis in the fetus, because are produced in most instances of heterospecific blood group pregnancy infant is normal. Moreover, sensitization to each of the members of

Due

serum, even in such agglutinins even when the the complex Rh

SELECTED

1394

ABSTRACTS

system should be ruled out in suspect cases. demonstration of abnormally rapid elimination blood cells containing the blood group antigen

Good evidence from the infant in question.

for the circulation

diagnosis is the of transfused

This demonstration was carried out by the transfusion of a washed mixture of groull A Rh-positive cells and group 0 Rh-negative cells to an anemic group A Rh-negative infant. Almost all of the transfused group A cells an11 some of the iufant’s own group A ~11s wverc’ destroyed, despite normal survival of the group 0 cells. In another case ending fatally, t,he rtqonsibility demonstration of hlorking anti-.1 antil)odiw in cluat~
of this pro~ss of various fetal

Illingworth, R. S., Harvey, 0. C., and Gin, Shan-Yah: Physical Development in Childhood, Lancet (London),

was shown by this tissues obtained at 1RVIiW 1,. FRAl;I<.

Relation

of Birth

p. 598, Oct.

1, 1949.

Weight

to

This paper presents a statistical comparison of the heights and weights of 2,400 childrtln in relation to their recorded birth weights. At all ages there was a well-marked parallelism hetween physical development and birth weight, subject to considerable variation in individual Idhildren. The study does not attempt to evaluate, as such, 1.11~ influeuces of maternal nutrition and health, prematurity, aud genetic variability. THVIN~ T,. FUNK.

Marty& G.: The Relation of Staphylococcus ing, Brit. M. J., p. 1146, Nov. 19, 1949.

Pyogenes to Infantile

Diarrhoea

and Vomit-

Bacteriological studies of the stools of 119 infants suffering from diarrhea and vomiting and of 122 controls is recorded. Using a highly selective medium Stu~~hyZococc~s pyogenes wa.s as compared to -16 per cent of controls. In most inisolated from 44.5 per cent of the formel stances it is probable that the organism was present, in small numbers. The phage types were essentially the same in strains recovereli from both the ill and control infants. Hensitivity to penicillin and streptomycin was not different stat,istically in the two groups. A food poisoning type of staphylococcus was found five times in each group. Tho authors coucaluded (liarrhea and vomiting dons ship to the disease.

that the presenre of staphylococcus in the stools of infants with not ~rrn to indicate ihat the organism bears any causal relation X. GORDON DOUGLAS.

Pregnancy, Kapeller-Adler, 1949.

R.:

Histamine

Metabolism

Physiology During

Pregnancy,

Lancet,

Histamine is a normal constituent of blood, whereas histaminase only during human pregnancy. This study was made on blood samples nonpregnant women, and from ninety-one women in various stages and nancy, parallel determinations being made of serum histaminase, histamine histamine in plasma.

p. i45, Ott,. 22,

is found in blood drawn from eight conditions of pregin blood cells, and

Histaminase activity was not demonstrable in nonpregnant women, but was strong in all cases of pregnancy, somewhat higher levels being encountered from the twenty-third to thirtyfifth week of gestation. In mild pre-eclampsia the level was not altered, but in severe preeclampsia, threatened abortion, and antepartum hemorrhage it was distinctly deceased. Histaminase activity declined slightly during prolonged labor, and disappeared during the puerperium. It is generally accepted that histamjnase is produced in the placenta, and hence say degenerative change in the placenta may lead to a fall in serum histaminase. Blood occasionally is unaltered,

histamine is concentrated largely in the cells, and only small amounts are found In normal pregnancy histamine distribution in plasma of nonpregnant women. but in mild and severe pre-eclampsia, and in pregnancy pyelitis, plasma histamine