title: Rapid fetal karyotype from cystic hygroma and pleural effusions.
abstract: Fluid from pleural effusion (n = 2) and cystic hygroma (n = 7) was obtained from eight fetuses, between 13 and 32 weeks of pregnancy at the time when a conventional prenatal diagnosis procedure was carried out. As these fluids contain lymphocytes, they were processed like peripheral blood. A karyotype was obtained in 4 days in both cases of pleural effusion and in four out of seven samples of cystic hygroma. An abnormal karyotype was detected in three of the four samples of cystic hygroma: two trisomies 21 and a monosomy X. Different parameters were evaluated in order to predict the feasibility of obtaining a cytogenetic diagnosis. Our data showed that if the amount of fluid obtained was > or = 4 ml and the initial lymphocyte count (ILC) was > 0.2 x 10(6) cells/ml, a cytogenetic diagnosis was possible from an initial concentration of cultured lymphocytes (ICCL) of > 0.06 x 10(6) cells/ml.
authors.affiliation: Prenatal Diagnosis Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borrell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Margarit
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carrió
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balmes
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Estivill
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fortuny
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000503:physiopathology*; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000235:genetics*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000235:genetics*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D013997:Time Factors