Background: The multifactorial etiology of clefts includes both genetic and environmental factors. Many studies were conducted to identify the genetic basis of the etiology of clefts and effect of maternal folic acid intake in reducing the risk of clefts.. Not many studies conducted about other environmental factors causing clefts. The present study is to find out the non-genetic factors associated with the nonsyndromic clefts. The maternal periconceptional intake of folic acid, family history, parental age, socioeconomic status, parental alcoholism and smoking, and parental occupational exposure are the factors included in the study.
Materials and methods:The study group comprised 400 subjects with 200 Nonsyndromic cleft cases and 200 healthy controls from the South Indian population. The data was collected in a detailed questionnaire by direct interview and analyzed the data using SPSS version 21. Logistic regression model was used to measure the odds ratio(OR) for the independent variables and Chi-square analysis was performed to find out the significance.
Results:The family history of clefts was found in 10.6% cleft cases (p value= 0.001). The risk of cleft was increased in cases with no maternal folic acid intake in their first trimester of pregnancy (p value= 0.001). Parental age more than 35 years (p value= 0.004) and low maternal education (p value= 0.001) were also found as the risk factors to cleft. Low socioeconomic background was another risk factor (p value= 0.001). Parental occupational exposure in terms of pestcidal exposure was found significant but not the parental medication and smoking.
Conclusion:Maternal consumption of folic acid and multivitamins during the periconceptional period to be assured to prevent the occurrence of oral clefts. Family history of cleft increases the risk of cleft and the risk is further increased when cleft is present in parents or siblings. And maternal age more than 35 years is found more significant than the paternal age . Consanguinity showed 4 fold increase in clefts. Maternal diet is a prime factor as it is directly related to folic acid and vitamin supplementation apart from the socioeconomic status of family.
Background: Missing anatomical variations in the vertebrobasilar system can lead to catastrophic sequel in surgeries like atlanto axial screw fixation and anterior cordectomy etc. The aim of the present study was to examine the vertebral arteries in south Indian population. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Vydehi institute of medical sciences, Bangalore. Intracranial parts of vertebral arteries were studied in 20 human adult brain specimens of both genders obtained from embalmed human cadavers. Diameters of the intracranial part of vertebral arteries of were measured using a digital verniers caliper. Results: All the vertebral arteries originated from the first part of subclavian artery. There was no difference in the course of Right and left vertebral arteries. Later both the vertebral arteries joined to form the basilar artery most commonly at the pontomedullary junction. The intracranial part of Left vertebral artery was greater in size than the right vertebral artery in most of the specimens. However one specimen showed the presence of left hypoplastic vertebral artery and therefore the right vertebral artery was the main contributing artery in the formation of basilar artery. Conclusion: Understanding and reporting of the anatomical variations of vertebral arties is essential to create awareness that can aid in various surgical and radiological procedures.
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