title: Fetal lung maturity evaluation with fluorescence polarization of the amniotic fluid.
abstract: Fluorescence polarization of the amniotic fluid from 39 high risk pregnancies requiring preterm delivery was measured in order to assess the maturity of the fetal lung. The study population included 15 cases of intrauterine growth retardation, ten maternal hypertension, five maternal Hodgkin's disease, three placenta previa, two fetal malformation, two polyamnios, one untreated diabetes, one maternal nephropathy. All patients underwent a single amniocentesis before deciding whether to deliver a preterm baby and FP of the amniotic fluid was done within two hours from amniocentesis. In five cases this was > 0.311, the cut-off limit taken as an indicator of fetal pulmonary status, and three of these developed respiratory distress syndrome. In 34 cases FP values were < or = 0.311; in spite of the apparent lung maturity two of these newborns developed respiratory distress syndrome. On the basis of these results the FP sensitivity was calculated as 60%, specificity 94% and the overall accuracy 90%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Enzyme Research, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche, Mario Negri, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmona
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diomede
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Minoli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agosti
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014783:Viscosity