title: Diagnosis of premature rupture of the membranes by the identification of alpha-feto-protein in vaginal secretions.
abstract: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is sometimes difficult to diagnose. This report proposes the use of alpha-feto-protein (AFP) values in vaginal secretions for diagnostic tests. Our investigation took place in two separate phases. The first phase validated the AFP test using an immuno-enzymatic assay method and determined a threshold value from a sample of 167 female patients (Group 1: 133 patients with an extremely low probability of PROM, and Group 2: 54 patients with confirmed PROM). In the second phase the test was applied to a sample of 145 female patients (Group 3) with suspected, but unconfirmed, PROM. Results from alpha-feto-protein (AFP) evaluation were compared with data obtained from clinical, echographic and other tests. The positive/negative threshold adopted was an AFP concentration of 30 micrograms/l. For the two first groups, 1 and 2, sensitivity and specificity was in the 98% to 99% confidence level. For Group 3, sensitivity and specificity results at the 30 micrograms/l threshold value were 94.5% and 95.4% respectively. Quantitative measurement of AFP determined by immuno-enzymatic assay of vaginal secretions with a threshold of 30 micrograms/l is a reliable, simple and rapid diagnostic test. Results obtained are significantly better than the measurement of pH, the determination of prolactin, and more practical than diamino-oxidase (DAO) assays.
authors.affiliation: Gynecological and Obstetrics Service, Hopital de la Croix Rousse, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaucherand
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guibaud
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Rudigoz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins