No abstract

The hypothesis that in utero exposure to diazepam increases the risk of oral-cleft anomalies was evaluated in a case-control study, in which 445 infants with cleft lip with or without cleft palate and 166 with cleft palate without cleft lip (cleft palate alone) were compared with 2498 control infants having other birth defects. For exposure to diazepam during lunar months 1 through 4 relative to no exposure during pregnancy, the estimated relative risks were 1.0 for cleft lip with or without cleft palate (95 per cent confidence interval, 0.5 to 2.1) and 0.8 for cleft palate alone (0.3 to 2.7). After control for all identified potential confounding factors, the corresponding estimates were 0.8 (0.4 to 1.7) and 0.8 (0.2 to 2.5), respectively. The findings were unchanged when maternal suspicion that diazepam might be a teratogen was taken into account. The data suggest that first-trimester exposure to diazepam does not materially affect the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate or of cleft palate alone.

We report two brothers with the Angelman syndrome. With the exception of the reports by Kuroki et al, all previously reported cases were sporadic. Overall sex ratio is M1:F1. Genetic heterogeneity may be present. Further data are required to determine emperic recurrence risks after a first occurrence in a family. A few cases may be due to autosomal or X‐linked recessive inheritance. No chromosome abnormality has been found to date.

REBER, M. (1968): Un syndrome osseux per commun associant une h#{233}ptodactylie et une aplasie des tibias.

Congenital micrognathia and secondary glossoptosis, with or without cleft palate, constitute the Robin anomaly. Neonates with this condition are usually at great risk for life-threatening respiratory and feeding problems. The approach to the management of infants with this condition has included, in order of increasing complexity, positioning of the patient, surgical tongue-lip adhesion and tracheostomy. Because of dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of surgical tongue-lip adhesion, and a desire to avoid performing a tracheostomy, a trial of intense non-surgical management was instituted. Ten consecutive patients admitted to the Boston Floating Hospital with Robin anomaly were treated successfully by positioning, without requiring tongue-lip adhesion or tracheostomy. Medical management procedures are outlined and discussed.