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Background: The author and his wife report their unique experience of international travels during the COVID-19 pandemic, and discuss issues encountered in various countries. Methods: Narrated discussion of issues encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion: “Zero-COVID” versus “Living with COVID-19” strategies are compared. Children have unique issues with COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluation of efficacy of the approaches in pandem-ic with time should consider the main types of interventions (e.g., border management/quarantine; physical distancing; mask use; case isolation, testing and contact tracing; vaccination). The key met-rics that can be used to compare the impacts of different strategies between the cities (e.g., cumula-tive case rate, cumulative mortality rate, case fatality risk, stringency index, economic performance) should be identified. Research in these approaches can help manage future pandemics in corona-viruses and emerging infections. The UK started with very loose mitigation ('herd immunity') and then switched to a suppression approach in 2021, followed by "living with the virus" approach. Whereas HK has been targeting towards elimination throughout. In between, countries like Singa-pore, Australia and New Zealand have shifted from zero-COVID strategy to living with the virus. It is easier to have effective social control measures in Hong Kong because it has clear borders and an authoritarian government, but it did not have a clear exit policy when Omicron spread.

Abstract: Coronavirus diseases, from SARS to MERS and now COVID-19, have major implications for the aviation industry and international travels. Although many cities and countries are adopting ‘live with COVID’ strategies, various rules and regulations are still in place. Documents demonstrating COVID-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease have now become a basic requirement to enter many travel destinations, while some still require pre-entry and/or post-arrival testing of COVID-19. Recently, the author’s household became COVID-19 positive in late March 2022, as diagnosed by rapid antigen test (RAT), in Singapore whilst enroute to Hong Kong. This had an immediate knock-on impact on hotel quarantine and travel arrangements. Rapid antigen test (RAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based tests have been used for quarantine, isolation and international travel purposes. The implications and issues of these tests are discussed. Ideally, a COVID-19 test that is fit for purpose should aim at identifying individuals who are infectious with risk of transmission only. Frequent surveillance with an effective RAT may be a more practical solution to normalize international travel without compromising public safety. Meanwhile, physicians have an important role in counselling anxious and often confused travelers before and during international travels. International travelers should be aware of the implications of these COVID-19 testing results, and plan, schedule and have travel insurance accordingly

Childhood encephalopathy comprises a wide range of etiologies with distinctive distribution in different age groups. We reviewed the pattern of encephalopathy admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary children's hospital.We reviewed the medical records and reported the etiologies, clinical features, and outcomes of children with encephalopathy.Twenty-four admissions to the PICU between April 2019 and May 2020 were reviewed. The median (interquartile range) age was 10.0 (14.7) years and 62.5% were boys. Confusion (66.7%) was the most common presentation. Adverse effects related to medications (33.3%) and metabolic disease (20.8%) were predominant causes of encephalopathies in our study cohort. Methotrexate was responsible for most of the medication-associated encephalopathy (37.5%), whereas Leigh syndrome, pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency and Wernicke's encephalopathy accounted for those with metabolic disease. The median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission was 12.5 (9.0). Antimicrobials (95.8%) and antiepileptic drugs (60.9%) were the most frequently given treatment. Children aged 2 years or younger were all boys (P = 0.022) and had a higher proportion of primary metabolic disease (P = 0.04). Intoxication or drug reaction only occurred in older children. The mortality was 8.3%, and over half of the survivors had residual neurological disability upon PICU discharge. Primary metabolic disease (P = 0.002), mechanical ventilation (P = 0.019), failure to regain GCS back to baseline level (P = 0.009), and abnormal cognitive function on admission (P = 0.03) were associated with cerebral function impairment on PICU discharge.Primary metabolic encephalopathy was prevalent in younger children, whereas drug-induced toxic encephalopathy was common among older oncology patients. Survivors have significant neurologic morbidity. Failure to regain baseline GCS was a poor prognostic factor for neurological outcomes.

This retrospective cohort study describes all children transported on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) by the Stollery Children's Hospital Pediatric Transport team (SCH-PTT) between 2004 and 2018. We compared outcomes and complications between primary (SCH-PTT performed ECLS cannulation) vs. secondary (cannulation performed by referring facility) transports, as well as secondary transports from referring centers with and without an established ECLS cannulation program. SCH-PTT performed 68 ECLS transports during the study period. Median (IQR) transport distance was 298 (298-1,068) kilometers. Mean (SD) times from referral call to ECLS-initiation were: primary transports 7.8 (2.9) vs. 2.5(3.5) hours for secondary transports, p value0.001. Complications were common (n = 65, 95%) but solved without leading to adverse outcomes. There were no significant differences in the number of complications between primary and secondary transports. There was no significant difference in survival to ECLS decannulation between primary 9 (90%) and secondary transports 43 (74%), p value = 0.275. ECLS survival was higher for children cannulated by the SCH-PTT or a center with an ECLS cannulation program: 42 (82%) vs. 10 (59%), p value = 0.048. Critically ill children on ECLS can be safely transported by a specialized pediatric ECLS transport team. Secondary transports from a center with an ECLS cannulation program are also safe and have similar results as primary transports.

A 14-year-old male developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) after acquiring the SARS-CoV-2 infection. He deteriorated rapidly requiring inotropic and ventilatory support as well as continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) due to rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury. A hemoadsoprtion column Cytosorb® was first incorporated into the CRRT circuit for myoglobin and cytokines removal, which was followed by sequential use of another type of cytokine-removing hemofilter (Oxiris®) (altogether 100 hours of extracorporeal blood purification [EBP] therapy). There was no major complication related to the EBP therapy. Cytokine profile revealed a marked reduction of levels of several cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 after the EBP therapy. It was noted that both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were removed, and the removal efficacy varied between different devices. His condition improved and the serum ferritin, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels also dropped gradually, which correlated well with his clinical progress and the trend of cytokine levels. Our case demonstrated that extracorporeal cytokine removal can be safely applied in children with MIS-C and can be considered as adjunctive therapy in selected patients with critically ill conditions.

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic spares no nation or city, and the virus is responsible for the escalating incidence and mortality all around the world. Objective: This article reviews the impact of “Long Covid” on Children. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted in December 2021 in Clinical Queries using the key terms "COVID-19" OR “long COVID”. The search was restricted to children and adolescent aged < 18 years, and English literature. Results: Many large-scale studies have provided strong scientific evidence as to the detrimental and irreversible sequelae of COVID-19 on the health, psychology, and development of affected children. Many insights to the management of this disease can be obtained from comparing the management of influenza disease. COVID-19 is generally a mild respiratory disease in children. Several syndromes such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and COVID toe are coined but are probably not specific to SARS-CoV-2. “Long COVID” or the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or the prolonged isolation and containment strategies on education and psychosocial influences on children associated with the pandemic, are significant. Conclusions: Healthcare providers must be aware of the potential effects of quarantine on children's mental health. More importantly, health care provides must appreciate the importance of the decisions and actions made by governments, non-governmental organizations, the community, schools, and parents in reducing the possible effects of this situation. Multifaceted age-specific and developmentally appropriate strategies must be adopted by health care authorities to lessen the negative impact of quarantine on the psychological wellbeing of children.

A 6-year-old boy developed acute liver failure with hepatic coma due to drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) after multiple antibiotics exposure. He had hyperbilirubinemia, elevated serum bile acids and hyperammonemia with peak serum levels of total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, bile acids and ammonia measuring 418, 328, 174, and 172 μmol/L respectively. In addition to the use of systemic steroid and other supportive therapy, he also received three sessions of hemoadsorption using the Cytosorb® column incorporated into the continuous renal replacement therapy circuit as extracorporeal liver support for a total duration of 75 h, which brought down his serum levels of total bilirubin to 119 μmol/L, bile acids to 58 μmol/L, and ammonia to 55 μmol/L. His conscious level gradually regained coupling an improvement of liver function. Except for mild thrombocytopenia and electrolyte disturbances, the therapy was well tolerated with no major complication encountered. Our case demonstrated that hemoadsorption can be safely employed as an adjunctive extracorporeal liver support modality in children with acute liver failure. The potential role and technical concerns of applying such technique in pediatric patients requires further evaluation in future studies.

Until very recently, vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had not been authorized for emergency use in persons younger than 16 years of age. Safe, effective vaccines are needed to protect this population, facilitate in-person learning and socialization, and contribute to herd immunity.In this ongoing multinational, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded trial, we randomly assigned participants in a 1:1 ratio to receive two injections, 21 days apart, of 30 μg of BNT162b2 or placebo. Noninferiority of the immune response to BNT162b2 in 12-to-15-year-old participants as compared with that in 16-to-25-year-old participants was an immunogenicity objective. Safety (reactogenicity and adverse events) and efficacy against confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19; onset, ≥7 days after dose 2) in the 12-to-15-year-old cohort were assessed.Overall, 2260 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age received injections; 1131 received BNT162b2, and 1129 received placebo. As has been found in other age groups, BNT162b2 had a favorable safety and side-effect profile, with mainly transient mild-to-moderate reactogenicity (predominantly injection-site pain [in 79 to 86% of participants], fatigue [in 60 to 66%], and headache [in 55 to 65%]); there were no vaccine-related serious adverse events and few overall severe adverse events. The geometric mean ratio of SARS-CoV-2 50% neutralizing titers after dose 2 in 12-to-15-year-old participants relative to 16-to-25-year-old participants was 1.76 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47 to 2.10), which met the noninferiority criterion of a lower boundary of the two-sided 95% confidence interval greater than 0.67 and indicated a greater response in the 12-to-15-year-old cohort. Among participants without evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, no Covid-19 cases with an onset of 7 or more days after dose 2 were noted among BNT162b2 recipients, and 16 cases occurred among placebo recipients. The observed vaccine efficacy was 100% (95% CI, 75.3 to 100).The BNT162b2 vaccine in 12-to-15-year-old recipients had a favorable safety profile, produced a greater immune response than in young adults, and was highly effective against Covid-19. (Funded by BioNTech and Pfizer; C4591001 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04368728.).

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is one of the most common causes of death in childhood. It is also a frequent cause of chronic cough in children, adolescents, and adults.Global and Hong Kong perspectives of childhood pertussis were described.Hong Kong has prided herself in the city's childhood immunization program. There appear to be no major outbreaks of pertussis since the 1960s. Nevertheless, pediatricians may see isolated cases of pertussis or pertussis-like cases from time to time. Occasionally, infants are severely affected with apneas and managed with ventilator supports in the PICU. Outbreaks of the notifiable disease continue to occur despite a reasonable surveillance system and vaccination program in Hong Kong. Vaccination of mothers, adolescents, and adults are efficacious methods to further reduce the risks of pertussis. Macrolides remain efficacious antibiotics especially used early during the infectious phase. Infants with pertussis may require intensive care support and morbidity is high.Physicians should be reminded from time to time that outbreaks of pertussis still exist in Hong Kong and in many cities globally.

PURPOSE Children with mediastinal masses often present with insidious symptoms to nonspecialist centers and require interhospital transport to oncology centers for definitive care. We evaluated clinical characteristics and patient outcomes and proposed a management protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective review of all children with mediastinal mass at the pediatric intensive care unit of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital between April 2019 and March 2020. RESULTS Ten children with a median age of 14.5 years (interquartile range, 9.3-17.0 years) were included. Leukemia and lymphoma accounted for the majority of cases (n = 6, 60%). Nearly all patients (n = 9, 90%) required interhospital transport before definitive treatment could be instituted. There were no deaths, but 2 patients were transported with significant respiratory compromise. Among patients requiring more than 1 interhospital transport, there was a higher incidence of shortness of breath (100% vs 40%; odds ratio, 33; P = 0.048) and orthopnea (80% vs 0%; odds ratio, 33; P = 0.048), whereas none had a neck mass (0% vs 80%; odds ratio, 0.03; P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS Children with mediastinal mass are at risk of life-threatening cardiorespiratory compromise. Pretransport assessment, planning, and stabilization along with clear management plans for deterioration during transport are crucial especially for patients who are symptomatic at time of presentation, to reduce risks associated with delays in arriving at the specialist point of care for definitive treatment.

Abstract: Animal reservoirs for respiratory and coronavirus have been major health concerns. Zoonosis due to coronavirus involves bats, civet cat, camels, pangolins and now the minks. In the same vein, influenza pandemics occur when a new strain of the influenza virus is transmitted to humans from another animal species. Species thought to be of particular importance in the emergence of new human influenza strains are swine and poultry and these hosts are often culled during epidemics or pandemics. It is often too easy for humans to forget that millions of animals can die or be slaughtered in human pandemics, including the recent cull of minks in Europe and chickens in Asia. To co-exist with nature in a sustainable way, we must respect our animals by ensuring their welfare and immunizing them against pathogens where possible. Zoonotic diseases are here to stay and will continue to cause major epidemics and pandemics. The other side of the coin is that reverse zoonosis can also have devastating effects on animal populations if pandemics are not effectively prevented and controlled. Unfortunately, none of the COVID-19 vaccines in production are set aside to save the minks. We advocate that animals be immunized to save human lives.

Background: Septic shock is a common critical illness associated with high morbidity and mortality in children. This article provides an updated narrative review on the management of septic shock in paediatric practice. Methods: A PubMed search was performed using the following Medical Subject Headings: “sepsis”, “septic shock” and “systemic inflammatory response syndrome”. The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies and reviews. The search was limited to the English literature and specific to children. Results: Septic shock is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The outcome can be improved if the diagnosis is made promptly and treatment initiated without delay. Early treatment with antimicrobial therapy, fluid therapy and vasoactive medications, and rapid recognition of the source of sepsis and control are the key recommendations from paediatric sepsis management guidelines. Conclusion: Most of the current paediatric sepsis guideline recommendations are based on the adult population; therefore, the research gaps in paediatric sepsis management should be addressed.

The role of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has been expanding beyond support for acute kidney injury (AKI) in recent years. Children with malignancy are particularly at risk of developing conditions that may require CRRT. We reported three children with malignancy who received CRRT for non-AKI indications. Patient 1 was a 17-year-old teenage girl who developed refractory type B lactic acidosis due to relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Her peak lactate level was 18 mmol/L, and the lowest pH and bicarbonate level was 7.13 and 6.0 mmol/L, respectively. She received three sessions of high-volume hemodiafiltration to bring down the lactate level. Patient 2 was a 15-year-old male with T-cell ALL who developed cytokine storm requiring mechanical ventilatory and high-dose inotropic support due to necrotizing enterocolitis complicated by pneumoperitoneum and Klebsiella pneumoniae septicemia. He received two sessions of hemoperfusion using a specific filter capable of endotoxin absorption and cytokine removal and was successfully weaned off all inotropes after the treatment. Patient 3 was an 8-year-old boy who received bone marrow transplantation and developed worsening hyperbilirubinemia and deteriorating liver function. He received a session of single-pass albumin dialysis for bilirubin removal prior to liver biopsy. Except for mild electrolyte disturbances, no major CRRT complication was encountered. Our report demonstrated that CRRT is an effective and safe procedure for a wide spectrum of nonrenal conditions among children with oncological diagnoses in the pediatric intensive care unit. However, the optimal dose, regime, timing of initiation, and monitoring target for these indications remain to be determined.

Results from early studies in the diagnostic yield of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in immunocompromised adults and children were variable. This prospective study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of BALs in immunocompromised children over the first 18 months of service at a newly established children’s hospital. Relationship between BAL results and changes in antimicrobial management was also studied. Twenty-one bronchoscopic BALs were performed on 18 children; 14 BALs (66.7%) yielded at least 1 pathogen and 7 (33.3%) yielded no pathogen. Two pathogens were found in 2 samples, and 1 pathogen was identified in 12 samples. Bacteria (n = 7 patients), viruses (n = 8 patients) and fungus (Pneumocycstis jirovecii in one patient) were yielded. Of the 21 BALs, 8 (38.1%) were associated with changes in antimicrobial management (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.018). No significant side effects such as pneumothorax or pulmonary hemorrhages were observed in this series. In conclusion, BAL in immunocompromised children is rewarding and has potential to impact on antimicrobial management.

We report two children with rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury who were successfully treated with a haemoadsorption column CytoSorb® in addition to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). A 14-year-old girl with multiorgan failure requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation developed rhabdomyolysis due to reperfusion injury. Her creatine kinase (CK) and lactate levels continued to escalate despite high-dose CRRT. A haemoadsorption column was therefore added post-CRRT filter, which brought down the CK level from 264,500 IU/L to 97,436 IU/L after 8 hours of therapy. Another 4-year-old boy with epilepsy and cerebral palsy who was admitted for gastroenteritis with dehydration developed acute kidney injury and rhabdomyolysis with a peak CK level of 946,060 IU/L. He was initially treated with CRRT for 40 hours, which reduced his CK level to 147,580 IU/L. Two sessions of haemoadsorption were then performed in addition to the CRRT, which further lowered his CK level to 32,306 IU/L in 48 hours. Both patients demonstrated enhanced reduction of CK levels when the haemoadsorption column was used in addition to the CRRT, and no specific complication related to the haemoadsorption therapy was reported. Our cases showed that haemoadsorption can be considered as an adjunctive therapy for children with severe rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury.

Many respiratory viral infections such as influenza and measles result in severe acute respiratory symptoms and epidemics. In the spring of 2003, an epidemic of coronavirus pneumonia spread from Guangzhou to Hong Kong and subsequently to the rest of the world. The WHO coined the acronym SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and subsequently the causative virus as SARS‐CoV. In the summer of 2012, epidemic of pneumonia occurred again in Saudi Arabia which was subsequently found to be caused by another novel coronavirus. WHO coined the term MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) to denote the Middle East origin of the novel virus (MERS‐CoV). In the winter of 2019, another outbreak of pneumonia occurred in Wuhan, China which rapidly spread globally. Yet another novel coronavirus was identified as the culprit and has been named SARS‐CoV‐2 due to its similarities with SARS‐CoV, and the disease as coronavirus disease‐2019. This overview aims to compare and contrast the similarities and differences of these three major episodes of coronavirus outbreak, and conclude that they are essentially the same viral respiratory syndromes caused by similar strains of coronavirus with different names. Coronaviruses have caused major epidemics and outbreaks worldwide in the last two decades. From an epidemiological perspective, they are remarkably similar in the mode of spread by droplets. Special focus is placed on the pediatric aspects, which carry less morbidity and mortality in all three entities.

We present 2 anonymized cases to identify issues and challenges associated with long-haul in-flight medical emergencies. The first case involved a middle-aged man with a history of carditis on a systemic steroid who developed vomiting and rigor. Four physicians, including a pediatric intensivist, responded to the emergency call. In the second case, a pediatric trainee who was the only onboard medical personnel was summoned for help when a middle-aged man developed acute shortness of breath while traveling on a commercial flight. The cases illustrate the challenges and issues on the critical decisions of diagnosis, resuscitation, and whether the flight had to be returned or diverted. An extensive literature search is made to summarize the evidence available for these decisions and challenges. Epidemiology and outcomes associated with these medical emergencies are reviewed. In-flight medical emergencies are not rare. Physicians of all disciplines should be prepared to deal with these emergencies and make sensible decisions when equipment and resources are likely to be limited.

Background Idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome (ISCLS) is rare, and there has been about 32 cases reported in children worldwide since this disorder was first described in 1960. Clinical guidelines on the management approach stemming from robust scientific evidence are lacking. This case report presents the first reported paediatric case of severe ISCLS with significant myocardial oedema and emphasizes this disease’s impact on a child’s cardiac function. Case presentation A Chinese boy had his first attack of severe hypovolaemic shock that responded to fluid resuscitation when he was 6 years of age. His second attack developed at 8 years of age. He was then transferred to our cardiac unit for refractory hypotensive shock. The patient’s echocardiogram revealed ventricular wall thickening with significant cardiac dysfunction requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Subsequently, he made a full recovery, including his myocardial wall thickness and function. The echocardiographic findings suggested myocardial oedema that was transient in nature. Clinical and laboratory investigation from both episodes were compatible with ISCLS. Conclusion ISCLS is rare, and therefore there is only a limited understanding on the pathophysiology of this disorder. The current treatment approach is based on a few case reports and series. During the acute phase, optimal supportive management is paramount. Our case highlights the importance of early recognition and consideration for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in patients with a life-threatening presentation, as it was lifesaving for this child who suffered myocardial oedema and ventricular dysfunction.

Background: Specialised transport teams are associated with fewer complications during interhospital transport. Such teams are currently unavailable in Hong Kong. The aim of this study was to review the clinical outcomes of critically ill infants requiring interhospital transport in Hong Kong. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the characteristics and clinical outcomes of all infants transported from the neonatal units of regional or private hospitals into the neonatal or cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) of Queen Mary Hospital, a tertiary-wide academic centre in Hong Kong from 1st August 2013 to 31st July 2016. Results: A total of 256 infants with a mean gestational age of 31.7 ± 5.5 weeks and birth weight of 1732 ± 1007 g were included in the study. While 143 (55.9%) patients were intubated during transport, there was no documentation of close monitoring of physiological parameters for 91.4% of the patients. Close to half of the patients (44.1%) had complications on admission and 23.4% required significant interventions immediately after the transfer. The median length of stay in the ICU was 3.3 (range: 0.5–342.6) days. Five patients died of non-transport-related causes within 7 days of admission. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that intubated patient (P = 0.001) or patient requiring inotropic support during transport (P = 0.027) were more likely to develop complications. Higher birth weight (P = 0.022) and younger chronological age at transfer (P = 0.030) were also significant risk factors for complications. Conclusions: Complications and interventions are considerable during interhospital neonatal transport in Hong Kong. The complication rate was higher than medical infrastructures that provided a specialised team for this process. Documentation during transport was inadequate.

A retrospective study was performed to compare the detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities by different approaches of full karyotyping, rapid aneuploidy diagnosis (RAD) or both when invasive prenatal testing is performed for diagnosis of thalassaemia. The karyotype results of 1120 prenatal samples obtained from thalassaemia couples from January 1985 to December 2002 in a referral centre for prenatal diagnosis were studied. The detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities by four different approaches were compared: (i) karyotyping for all samples; (ii) RAD (21,18,13,X,Y) for all samples; (iii) RAD for all samples + karyotyping for cases with ultrasound abnormalities; and (iv) RAD (21,18,13) for all + RAD (X,Y) for cases with ultrasound abnormalities consistent with Turner syndrome + karyotyping for cases with ultrasound abnormalities. Normal karyotypes were found in 1103 samples (98.5%). There were 17 cases (1.5%) of chromosomal abnormalities: four cases (0.36%) were clinically significant, eight cases (0.7%) were of borderline clinical significance and five cases (0.44%) were not confirmed by subsequent prenatal or postnatal tests. The incidences of autosomal (7/1120 = 0.63%) and sex chromosomal (5/1120 = 0.45%) abnormalities were not higher than those (0.41 and 0.22%, respectively) from newborn surveys (Hook and Hamerton, 1977) (P = 0.398 and 0.216, respectively). Approach 1 would detect all 17 chromosomal abnormalities. Approach 2 would detect three of four clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities but not detect six of eight chromosomal abnormalities of borderline clinical significance and three of five chromosomal abnormalities not confirmed by subsequent prenatal or postnatal tests. Approach 3, in addition, would be able to detect all four clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities. Approach 4 would detect all four clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities but would not detect seven of eight chromosomal abnormalities of borderline clinical significance and four of five chromosomal abnormalities not confirmed by subsequent prenatal or postnatal tests. RAD (21,18,13) for all + RAD (X,Y) for cases with ultrasound abnormalities consistent with Turner syndrome + karyotyping for cases with ultrasound abnormalities seemed to be the best approach for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities when invasive prenatal testing is performed for diagnosis of thalassaemia.