title: Auricular mild errors of morphogenesis: epidemiological study with application of a targeted computer program.
abstract: Mild errors of morphogenesis (MEMs) are findings of great importance in multiple fields because of their predictive value in identification of major malformations, specific genetic syndromes, mental retardation and childhood malignancy. In order to evaluate the contribution of auricular MEMs, we constructed a computerized program, especially designed for the recording of auricular MEMs in connection with nonauricular MEMs, personal data, family, pregnancy and birth history, presence of major malformation and postural defects. The program is easy to use and delivers, at request, immediate information regarding prevalence of each auricular MEM and percentage associations between all variables. In the period from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999, we screened 3107 consecutively born neonates and recorded auricular and nonauricular MEMs, detected by surface examination. The general prevalence of auricular MEMs was 43.2% and the most frequent MEMs and their associates were of postural-type. This computerized program offers many advantages for the study of ear MEMs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Bnei Zion Medical Center and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Israel Institute of Technology-Technion, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grun
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merlob
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grunfeld
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abend
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chystiakov
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riskin-Mashiah
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D004423:Ear / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D009024:Morphogenesis; D015995:Prevalence