766 cases of oral cleft in Italy. Data from Emilia Romagna (IMER) and northeast Italy (NEI) registers

Global birth prevalence of Robin sequence in live-born infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Robin sequence (RS), a congenital disorder of jaw maldevelopment and glossoptosis, poses a substantial healthcare burden and has long-term health implications if airway obstruction is suboptimally treated. This study describes the global birth prevalence of RS and investigates whether prevalence estimates differ by geographical location, ethnicity or study data source (registry versus non-registry data). The protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO.Databases were searched using keywords and subject terms for "Robin sequence", "epidemiology", "incidence" and "birth prevalence". Meta-analysis was performed fitting random effects models with arcsine transformation.From 34 eligible studies (n=2722 RS cases), pooled birth prevalence was 9.5 per 100 000 live births (95% CI 7.1-12.1) with statistical heterogeneity. One third of studies provided a case definition for RS and numerous definitions were used. A total of 22 countries were represented, predominantly from European populations (53% of studies). There was a trend towards higher birth prevalence in European populations and lower prevalence from registry-based studies. Only two studies reported ethnicity.This study indicates that RS occurs globally. To investigate geographical differences in prevalence, additional studies from non-European populations and reporting of ethnicity are needed. Heterogeneity of estimates may be due to variable diagnostic criteria and ascertainment methods. Recently published consensus diagnostic criteria may reduce heterogeneity among future studies.

Incidence of cleft lip and palate, and epidemiology of perinatal deaths related to cleft lip and palate in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020

This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and CL/P-related perinatal deaths, provide some information for intervention programs to reduce the incidence of CL/P and provide clues for future researchers. Data were obtained from the Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Incidences of CL/P [number of cases per 1000 fetuses (births and deaths at 28 weeks of gestation and beyond)] with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by residence, gender, maternal age, year, and major types [cleft lip only (CL), cleft palate only (CP), and cleft lip with palate (CLP)]. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the association of each maternal characteristic with CL/P. Pearson chi-square tests (χ²) were used to examine the association of each maternal characteristic with CL/P-related perinatal deaths. A total of 847,755 fetuses were registered, and 14,459 birth defects were identified, including 685 CL/P (accounted for 4.74% of all birth defects). CL, CP, and CLP accounted for 24.67% (169 cases), 36.79% (252 cases), and 38.54% (264 cases) of all CL/P, respectively. The incidence of CL/P was 0.81‰ (95%CI 0.75-0.87). The incidence of CL was 0.20‰ (95%CI 0.17-0.23) (169 cases), of CP was 0.30‰ (95%CI 0.26-0.33) (252 cases), and of CLP was 0.31‰ (95%CI 0.27-0.35) (264 cases). CL was more common in males than females (0.24‰ vs. 0.15‰, OR = 1.62, 95%CI 1.18-2.22). CP was more common in urban than rural (0.36‰ vs. 0.25‰, OR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.12-1.83), and less common in males than females (0.22‰ vs. 0.38‰, OR = 0.59, 95%CI 0.46-0.75). CLP was more common in males than females (0.35‰ vs. 0.26‰, OR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.06-1.74). Compared to mothers 25-29 years old, mothers < 20 years old were risk factors for CLP (OR = 3.62, 95%CI 2.07-6.33) and CL/P (OR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.13-2.86), and mothers ≥ 35 years old was a risk factor for CLP (OR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.01-2.02). CL/P-related perinatal deaths accounted for 24.96% (171/685) of all CL/P, of which 90.64% (155/171) were terminations of pregnancy. Rural residents, low income, low maternal age, and early prenatal diagnosis are risk factors for perinatal death. In conclusion, we found that CP was more common in urban areas and females, CL and CLP were more common in males, and CL/P was more common in mothers < 20 or ≥ 35 years old. In addition, most CL/P-related perinatal deaths were terminations of pregnancy. CL/P-related perinatal deaths were more common in rural areas, and the proportion of CL/P-related perinatal deaths decreased with the increase in maternal age, parity, and per-capita annual income. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain these phenomena. Our study is the first systematic research on CL/P and CL/P-related perinatal deaths based on birth defects surveillance. It is significant for intervention programs to prevent CL/P and CL/P-related perinatal deaths. As well, more epidemiological characteristics of CL/P (such as the location of CL/P) and approaches to reduce CL/P-related perinatal deaths need to be studied in the future.

Tri-lobed Tongue: Rare Manifestation Accompany With Pierre Robin Sequence

BACKGROUND

The tongue is an essential organ accounted for proper deglutition and articulation. Surgical repair should be planned soon after diagnosis of any structural abnormality to prevent later speech and swallowing disorders. The lobulated tongue could be isolated (sporadic) or in association with other disorders. Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) consists of the clinical trial of congenital micrognathia, glossoptosis, and airway obstruction with variable inclusion of a cleft palate. We present the case of a rare congenital tri-lobed tongue with Pierre Robin sequence and its surgical management in our hospital setting.

CASE PRESENTATION

Six-month-old boy presented with severe retrognathia, high arch, complete isolated cleft palate, and a bizarre mass in the oral cavity instead of his tongue that led to disruption of his swallowing. The mass (deformed tongue) check clearly, and the normal shape of the tongue was restored through multiple local randomized flaps. Dramatic improvement in swallowing was noticed 6 months after surgery during postoperative follow-up.

DISCUSSION

We present the case of a patient with a tri-lobed tongue with Pierre Robin sequence characterized by severe retrognathia, high arch, and complete isolated cleft palate. This seems to be the first reported case of this particular craniofacial anomaly.

CONCLUSION

The management of infants with the Pierre Robin sequence is complex, and much still needs to be learned and practiced. Congenital tri-lobed tongue with a cleft as part of the Pierre Robin sequence is a very rare malformation. Early repair of the tongue is important to assist the baby in adapting to speech and swallowing as they grow.

Prevalence of cleft lip and/or cleft palate in Guangdong province, China, 2015-2018: a spatio-temporal descriptive analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of cleft lip and/or palate based on a large-scale birth defect monitoring database.

METHODS

Data on perinatal infants and children with cleft lip and/or palate defects from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2018 in Guangdong province of China were collected. The variables including the demographic data, basic family information (address, education level, etc.), the infant's birth weight, gender and other basic parameters were collected and analysed.

RESULTS

During the study period, the prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate was 7.55 per 10 000 perinatal infants. The prevalence of cleft lip, cleft palate and cleft lip and palate were 2.34/10 000, 2.22/10 000 and 2.98/10 000, respectively. The prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate showed a pronounced downward trend, reducing from 8.47/10 000 in 2015 to 6.51/10 000 in 2018. We observed spatial heterogeneity of prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate across the study period in Guangdong. In the Pearl River Delta region, the overall prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate was 7.31/10 000, while the figure (7.86/10 000) was slightly higher in the non-Pearl River Delta region (p<0.05). Concerning infant gender, the prevalence was in general higher in boys than girls (p<0.05). In addition, the higher prevalence was more common in mothers older than 35 years old. For the birth season, infants born in spring tended to have a higher prevalence than those born in other seasons, regardless of the prevalence of cleft lip and palate calculated separately or jointly (p<0.05). The majority of newborns with cleft lip and palate were accompanied by other birth defects.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes a better understanding of the characteristics of spatio-temporal trends for birth defects of cleft lip and/or palate in south China.

Epidemiological characteristic of Orofacial clefts and its associated congenital anomalies: retrospective study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the relationship between gender, ethnicity/citizenship, clinical phenotype, total prevalence, and the various congenital malformations associated with oral clefts (OC) in Italy across the period 2001-2014.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis (2001-2014) was conducted based on the National Congenital Malformation Registries network of Italy (Emilia-Romagna Registry of Birth Defects [IMER] and Registro Toscano Difetti Congeniti [RTDC]), which were analyzed to investigate time trends, geographical/ethnic clusters, topography, sex ratio, and associated congenital anomalies of OC phenotypes.

RESULTS

Among 739 registered cases, 29.8% were syndromic or had multi-malformed associated anomalies, compared with 70.2% having isolated orofacial cleft. Cleft lip (CL) was observed in 22%, cleft palate (CP) in 40%, and cleft lip and palate (CLP) in 38% of live births, stillbirths, and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly cases. Other associated conditions were major anomalies of cardiovascular defects (39%), followed by defects of the limbs (28%), neuroectodermal defects (23%), and urogenital malformations (10%). Male-to-female sex ratio was 1:1.14 in CP, 1.22:1 in CL, and 1.9:1 in CLP. Foreigners were represented by 29% from Southeast Asia, 25% from Balkans, 25% from North-Central Africa, 9% from the East, 7% from Western Europe, and 5% from South America. Total prevalence of OC cases ranged from 0.9 (RTDC) to 1.1 (IMER) of 1000 births.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study provides a population-based, clinical-epidemiological description of the orofacial cleft phenomenon. As a relatively frequent congenital malformation, its social and economic impact is worthy of further study. These abnormalities can cause significant problems that may be solved or minimized by early diagnosis and treatment.

Structural Birth Defects Associated with Oral Clefts in Hawaii, 1986 to 2001

Objective

To identify structural birth defects that occur in association with oral clefts.

Methods

Data were obtained from a birth defects registry and included all infants and fetuses with cleft palate without cleft lip or cleft lip with or without cleft palate delivered from 1986 to 2001. For 47 specific structural birth defects, rates among oral cleft cases were compared with the rates among all infants and fetuses with major birth defects, excluding those with oral clefts.

Results

Among cleft palate only cases, the rates were significantly higher than expected for encephalocele, microcephaly, and syndactyly. Among cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate, the rates were significantly higher than expected for anophthalmia/microphthalmia, single ventricle, reduction deformity of upper limbs, and reduction deformity of lower limbs. When cases of cleft palate only and cleft lip with or without cleft palate were compared as to the rates for particular birth defects, the rates of the defects were either higher or lower than expected in both oral cleft categories for 38 (81%) of the defects.

Conclusions

Certain birth defects were more frequently associated with oral clefts than might be expected. For the majority of defects, their patterns of association were similar between cleft palate without cleft lip and cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

Political priority of oral health in Italy: an analysis of reasons for national neglect

PURPOSE

Oral health remains a neglected area and its political priority on most national agendas is low. This analysis aimed to identify the political priority of oral health in Italy.

BACKGROUND

Italian public health services are decentralised at the regional level and are financed by both central and local authorities. Despite certain legally guaranteed public oral health services, access to oral health care seems to be inhomogeneous.

METHODS

Appraisal of the political priority of oral health in Italy uses the Political Power Framework as proposed by Shiffman and Smith.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

There is no clear mandate for leadership or coordination within the oral health sector, resulting in fragmentation and in dominance of the private sector. As a consequence, oral diseases are mainly addressed through a curative rather than a preventive public health approach. Current, systematic and representative data are lacking. Therefore, the real burden of oral diseases is unknown and thus cannot be addressed adequately. Evidence-based, cost-effective and sustainable population-wide public dental health interventions are not implemented on a large scale, and growing inequities in terms of access to care are not seen as a concern.

CONCLUSION

Lack of relevant policies with a public health focus, absence of systematic oral health surveillance and limited access to care for large population groups are strong indicators that oral health is not a political priority. However, opportunities in the wider political environment could be used to facilitate analysis, discussion and change in order to improve political priority of oral health in Italy.

Parental age as a risk factor for non-syndromic oral clefts: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between parental age and the occurrence of non-syndromic oral clefts. The questions addressed if younger or older mothers and fathers have an increased risk of having a child with non-syndromic oral clefts.

DATA

Data from cohort studies, case-control, cross-sectional and prevalence studies in which the association between parental age and oral clefts was investigated were analysed. Only studies on oral clefts not associated with syndromes or other anomalies were considered.

SOURCES

An electronic literature search were conducted in Medline, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, SCOPUS and the Cochrane library databases to identify original research published until November 2010. References of the selected articles were also searched.

STUDY SELECTION

The initial database search identified 4623 citations and according to eligibility criteria 80 articles were submitted to quality assessment. In 13 studies measures of association could be extracted for meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that fathers forty years of age or older had a 58% higher probability of having a child with cleft palate compared to those aged between 20 and 39 years. The probability of mothers aged between 35 and 39 years having a child with cleft palate was 20% higher in comparison with those between 20 and 29 years-old, whilst for those aged 40 years or more this probability was 28% higher compared to those aged between 20 and 29 years. Mothers aged 40 years or over were 1.56 times more likely to have a newborn with cleft lip with or without palate compared to those aged between 20 and 29 years. No evidence of association between early maternal and paternal age with occurrence of oral clefts was observed.

Oral clefts: a retrospective study of prevalence and predisposal factors in the State of Mexico

The purpose of this study was to up-date the records concerning oral clefts (OCs) encountered at the Child Hospital of the Maternal Infantile Institute of the State of México, and to examine the association of predisposing factors. A retrospective study of the medical records of patients generated over a 5-year period was carried out. A total of 835 files were reviewed, representing 504 boys and 331 girls. The studied variables were the type of oral clefts and predisposing factors. Kendal correlations at P < or = 0.05 and chi-squared at P < or = 0.05 were used to find any associations between variables. The distribution of oral cleft was: cleft lip and palate (CLP) 70%, cleft palate (CP) 21%, cleft lip (CL) 8%, separate cleft lip and cleft palate 1%. The sex ratios were 1.7 for CLP, 1.7 for CL, and 1 for CP. Municipalities with ethnic groups as well as industrial, agricultural and pottery activities showed a high rate of prevalence. Although there was no significant association with birth weight, familial history of clefting, consanguinity, medication usage during pregnancy, or paternal occupational risk, the results suggested that the most severe clefts were proportionally related to these factors. A significant association with maternal and paternal age, abortion rate, and parity was found. Additionally, maternal agricultural activities suggested that pesticide exposure might be a factor.

Associated anomalies in multi-malformed infants with cleft lip and palate: An epidemiologic study of nearly 6 million births in 23 EUROCAT registries

We studied 5,449 cases of cleft lip (CL) with or without cleft palate (CL/P) identified between 1980 and 2000 from the EUROCAT network of 23 registers (nearly 6 million births) in 14 European countries. We investigated specific types of defects associated with clefts. Among CL/P cases (prevalence = 9.1 per 10,000), 1,996 (36.6%) affected only the lip (CL) and 3,453 (63.4%) involved CL and palate (CLP). A total of 3,860 CL/P cases (70.8%) occurred as isolated anomalies and 1,589 (29.2%) were associated with other defects such as multiple congenital anomalies of unknown origin (970), chromosomal (455) and recognized syndromes (164). Associated malformations were more frequent in infants who had CLP (34.0%) than in infants with CL only (20.8%). Among multi-malformed infants, 2 unrelated anomalies were found in 351 cases, 3 in 242 cases, and 4 or more in 377 cases. Among 5,449 CL/P cases, 4,719 were live births (LB) (86.6%), 203 stillbirths (SB) (3.7%), while 508 (9.3%) were terminations of pregnancy (ToP). CL/P occurred significantly more frequently in males (M/F = 1.70), especially among total isolated cases (M/F = 1.87) and CLP isolated cases (M/F = 1.92). The study confirmed that musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous system defects are frequently associated with CL/P. An association with reduction anomalies of the brain was found. This association suggests that clinicians should seek to identify structural brain anomalies in these patients with CL/P as the potential functional consequences may be important for rehabilitation and clinical management.

Oral clefts with associated anomalies: methodological issues

OBJECTIVE

To discuss methodological factors that account for the wide variation in the reported prevalence rates of anomalies associated with oral clefts.

CONCLUSIONS

The published prevalences of associated anomalies vary considerably because of the following: (1) differences in case definition and inclusion/exclusion criteria; (2) length of time after birth that cases are examined; (3) variability of clinical expression of associated anomalies; (4) knowledge and technology available to produce syndrome delineation; (5) selection of patients, sources of ascertainment, and sample size; and (6) true population differences and changes in frequency over time.

Descriptive epidemiology of oral clefts in a multiethnic population, Hawaii, 1986-2000

OBJECTIVE

To describe the relationship between oral clefts and demographic and clinical factors in Hawaii.

METHODS

Data were obtained from a birth defects registry and included all infants and fetuses with oral clefts delivered during 1986 through 2000. Subjects were categorized as total, isolated, and nonisolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL+/-P) or cleft palate without cleft lip (CP).

RESULTS

There were 352 total subjects of CL+/-P and 192 total subjects of CP with corresponding rates per 10,000 live births of 12.5 for CL+/-P and 6.8 for CP. Total, isolated, and nonisolated CL+/-P rates demonstrated no clear pattern by maternal age. The total and nonisolated CP rates tended to be higher among older maternal age groups. The total CL+/-P rate was higher among Far East Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos than among whites. The total CP rate was higher among Far East Asians and Pacific Islanders than among whites, whereas the rate for Filipinos was lower than for whites. The total CL+/-P rate was substantially lower among females (rate ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.49 to 0.77) and the total CP rate substantially higher among females (rate ratio 1.52, 95% CI = 1.13 to 2.06). Both CL+/-P and CP were more common with lower birth weight and gestational age among the total, isolated, and nonisolated groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral cleft risk was associated with maternal race/ethnicity, sex, birth weight, and gestational age. Although some of the observed associations were consistent with the literature, others were not.

Temporal variability in birth prevalence of congenital heart defects as recorded by a general birth defects registry

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to examine the temporal variability in congenital heart defect (CHD) birth prevalence from 1980 to 2000 in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

METHODS

The study population consisted of all infants, surveyed by the Emilia-Romagna birth defects registry (Indagine Malformazioni conpenite in Emilia-Romagna [IMER]), who were affected by CHDs. A simplified classification into "simple" and "complex " CHD was adopted. A comparison with another epidemiologic study using different methodology in the same area was performed.

RESULTS

From 1980 to 2000, IMER ascertained 2442 live births with CHD of 480,793 infants born, with an average CHD birth prevalence of 5.1% (Range, 3.1% to 7.5%). A significant increase in prevalence of simple CHD during the second decade of the study was demonstrated because of an increased recognition of "minor" cardiac lesions among the simple CHD. The birth prevalence of complex CHD remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

The apparent increase in live births with CHD results mainly from the current widespread availability of color Doppler echocardiography, which allows the early detection of the "minor" cardiac defects. Other differences are the result of the sources of ascertainment, diagnostic criteria, system of classification, and especially the age limit for enrolling infants with suspected CHD.

An epidemiologic study of oral clefts in Iran: analysis of 1,669 cases

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology and some genetic aspects of oral clefting in Iran.

DESIGN

The study was a 15-year cross-sectional (prevalence) study from August 1976 to September 1991.

SETTING

The setting for the study was two plastic surgery departments, both mostly referral centers, and a maternity hospital in Iran.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants were 1,669 consecutive surgical cases with oral clefts (79% between 1 day and 18 months of age), registered in two centers. In a parallel study, 19,369 livebirths born in a maternity hospital within the same period were surveyed to ascertain prevalence of clefting at birth. Normal children of this population were used as the control group. Samples were analyzed by prevalence of clefting at birth, type of oral cleft, side of clefting, sex ratio, associated malformations, clefts in relatives, and parental consanguinity.

RESULTS

The prevalence of clefts was 1.03 per 1,000 births. Cleft lip (without cleft palate) had a higher (34.9%) and cleft palate alone had a significantly lower prevalence (17.4%) than expected. Cleft lip (without cleft palate) was more common in females (53.6%) than in males (46.4%). The rate of associated malformations in cleft patients (7.73%) was higher than in controls (0.093%). Association between clefting and consanguinity was significant (45.8% in cases versus 43.1% in controls). Occurrence of noncleft congenital malformations among first-degree relatives of our cases (2.77%) was nearly two times that of controls (1.55%).

CONCLUSION

Our study reveals that the population incidence of oral clefts in Iran is much closer to European than Arab-African or South East Asian countries. However, significant variations in other epidemiologic and some genetic features were observed.

Genetics of nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate: a review of international studies and data regarding the Italian population

The aims of this review are (1) to illustrate current knowledge of the mode of inheritance and the loci involved in the cleft lip and palate and (2) to summarize the results of our investigations, which were carried out in Italy. It is well established that nonsyndromic cleft of the lip with or without the palate (CL+/-P) and cleft palate only (CPO) are separate entities. Genetic heterogeneity has been observed in CL+/-P, which involves different chromosome regions, mainly 6p23 (OFC1), 2q13 (OFC2), and 19q13.2 (OFC3), as well as other loci, such as 4q25-4q31.3 and 17q21. Furthermore, an interaction between different genes has been suggested in the oligogenic model. In one case at least, an OFC1 and OFC2 interaction has been demonstrated. The mode of inheritance of CPO is compatible with a recessive single major gene model, while an association with a candidate gene, mapping on the chromosome region 2q13/TGFalpha, remains to be confirmed.

Survey of genetic counselors and clinical geneticists regarding recurrence risks for families with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) is a common congenital malformation affecting about 1/1,000 caucasian infants. Although the familial clustering of CL/P has been studied thoroughly, estimation of recurrence risk for genetic counseling purposes can be difficult. A survey was mailed to 912 board-certified genetic counselors, 542 non-board-certified genetic counselors, and 776 board-certified clinical geneticists to investigate the recurrence risks they would assign to three example families with CL/P. Responses were received from 155 (17%) board-certified genetic counselors, 36 (6.6%) non-board-certified genetic counselors, and 100 (18.5%) board-certified clinical geneticists. No major differences were found in their responses, suggesting that for these three families, geneticists would provide similar estimates of risk, regardless of their amount of experience with oral clefts patients, where they are currently employed, or their board certification status.

Epidemiology of orofacial clefts in Slovenia, 1973-1993: comparison of the incidence in six European countries

For over 40 years, all children with orofacial clefts in Slovenia have been treated at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery in Ljubljana, which maintains a register of these anomalies. Since 1987, clefts have also been registered within the framework of the perinatal Information System. An analysis of patients included in each of the two sources showed that an estimated 3.5% of cases were missing from the Cleft Register of the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and 15% from the Perinatal Registry. The incidence of clefts in the period 1973-1993 was 1.64 per 1000 live births, with an increasing trend of 0.02 per year. Considerable differences were established among different geographic regions of Slovenia. Comparison with the data for Finland, Denmark, Hungary, Poland and Bohemia revealed some synchronicity of fluctuations in the incidence of clefting in these countries. The last two observations suggest that exogenous factors of two types play a part in the aetiology of orofacial clefts: some are limited in their action to a small geographical area, while others exert their influence simultaneously in areas several thousand kilometers apart.