CHONDRODYSPLASIA-PUNCTATA AND MATERIAL ALCOHOL-INTOXICATION - 7 OBSERVATIONS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (8) , 547-550
Abstract
Cases (7) of chondrodysplasia punctata with maternal alcohol intoxication were reported. Most often, it consisted of chronic and confirmed alcoholism, except for the last case, in which an acute intoxication had occurred at about the 4th or 5th wk of pregnancy. Clinically, the appearance of the children was evocative of fetal alcohol syndrome, except in the last case when, in contrast, the facial cysmorphy was very typical of chondrodysplasia punctata. The skeletal anomalies preferentially involve the lower limbs, sometimes the sacrum, and in 1 single case, the dorsal spine. Upper limbs are always spared. The maternal hepatic lesions may be responsible for the skeletal impairment, due to their repercussion on the metabolism of vitamin K. This skeletal impairment would then be close to that induced by treatments with warfarin during pregnancy. Whatever, it is absolutely necessary to X-ray the lower limbs in cases with fetal alcohol syndrome, in order to not overlook associated bone lesions.