Tetraectrodactyly and other skeletal manifestations in the fetal alcohol syndrome

Effects of Alcohol and Caffeine on Cultured Whole Rat Embryos

“…The development of the forelimb buds was delayed in the alcohol group only. These findings are in agreement with observations of a deleterious effect of alcohol on the embryo, including the skeletal system, in both humans and laboratory animals [30][31][32][33].…”

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Neuropsychological and Behavioral Features

“…Children prenatally exposed to alcohol show increased motor delay variability (Simmons, et al, 2009) that is likely attributable to atypical muscle development (David & Subramaniam, 2005), reduced motor neurons (Bradley, Beaman, Moore, & Heaton, 1997; Heaton & Bradley, 1995), poor peripheral nerve myelination (Zoeller, Butnariu, Fletcher, & Riley, 1994), and slowed nerve conductivity (de los Angeles Avaria et al, 2004) that are associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Furthermore, skeletal malformations of the hands and feet (e.g., tetraectrodactyly and camptodactyly) (Church, Eldis, Blakley, & Bawle, 1997; Herrmann, Pallister, & Optiz, 1980) and delayed skeletal maturity (Naidoo, Norval, Swanevelder, & Lombard, 2006) are evident in these individuals and may contribute to poor performance on motor tasks.…”

Alcohol and the Heart

“…Whereas "no association" between alcohol consumption and clinical evidence of coronary artery disease was found in the Western Electric Study,99 a negative associa¬ tion between moderate daily alcohol consumption and fatal ischémie heart disease has been demonstrated in other epidemiologic studies.100"107 In a study that matched 568 men who died of coronary artery disease with an equal number of control subjects, a preventive effect ofalcohol was noted after controlling for other variables. 130,133 In the great majority of these cases, the association between congenital heart disease and maternal alcohol use was made only after the children had been identified as having the complete fetal alcohol syndrome. Conversely, heavy alcohol consumption appeared to enhance the risk of coronary artery disease.109 A study of the relation¬ ship between alcohol consumption and nonfatal myocardial infarction, involving 399 patients and 2486 reference sub¬ jects, indicated absence of any major overall association, but there was a lower rate of infarction in subjects consuming a moderate amount of alcohol.110 This preventive role of alcohol has been attributed to an increase in the concentration of high-density lipoproteins and apolipoprotein A-I levels in the plasma of individuals who consume moderate amounts of alcohol.111 Moreover, the consumption of ethyl alcohol lowers fibrinogen level and increases the fibrinolytic activity in the plasma.112,113 Alcohol inhibits platelet aggregation114 and alco¬ hol itself, not its metabolites, results in a significant augmen¬ tation of plasminogen activator production and secretion that may explain the increased fibrinolytic activity found in the plasma of individuals consuming moderate amounts of alco¬ Acute myocardial infarction in toxic cardiomyopathy with¬ out coronary artery disease has been described by Regan et al126 in 12 alcoholic patients presenting with acute cardiac pain consistent with myocardial infarction.…”