Acute renal failure associated with polycythemia in a neonate

Abstract

The results of the tests for clastogenic activity in the cell-free amniotic fluid were obtained within one week after obtaining the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid cells from both amniocenteses grew poorly, and cells for chromosome analysis were only obtained seven weeks after the second tap. Apparently, amniotic fluid cells from the AT fetus, like skin fibroblasts from AT patients, grow slowly and poorly in culture. Thus, testing for the clastogenic activity of the cell-free amniotic fluid considerably shortens the time needed for prenatal diagnosis of AT. ADDENDUM After this manuscript was submitted for publication, the mother became pregnant again. Amniocentesis was performed in the sixteenth week of gestation. The cell-free amniotic fluid was tested for the presence of the clastogenic factor, and cultured cells from the amniotic fluid were analyzed for spontaneous chromosome breakage. No clastogenic activity above control values could be observed, and the breakage rate in the cells was found to be normal (0.02 breaks per cell). The karyotype of this fetus is 46,XY. These results indicated a normal fetus and the pregnancy was allowed to continue.