title: Maternal serum thyroid antibodies in early pregnancy and fetal Down's syndrome.
abstract: Thyroid antibodies were measured in mid-trimester antenatal serum samples from 77 pregnancies affected by fetal Down's syndrome and 385 unaffected control pregnancies. Using a haemagglutination technique, thyroglobulin antibodies were detected in 5.2 per cent of cases (4) and 2.9 per cent of controls (11), and thyroid microsomal antibodies were detected in 22 per cent (17) and 15 per cent (59), respectively. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for thyroglobulin antibodies and a cut-off level of 50 KIU/l, positive results were found in 25 per cent of cases (19) and 22 per cent of controls (84). Using an ELISA for thyroid microsomal antibodies and the same cut-off level, the proportions were 52 per cent (40) and 39 per cent (149), respectively. While not statistically significant, the differences were consistent with the previously reported increased levels of thyroid antibody found in non-pregnant women who had had pregnancies associated with Down's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, U.K.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cuckle
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Densem
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haddow
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Knight
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies