Prediction of fetal lung maturity in infants of diabetic mothers using the FLM S/A and disaturated phosphatidylcholine tests.
The authors evaluated the performance of the amniotic fluid surfactant to albumin ratio (FLM S/A), and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) tests in assessing fetal lung maturity in infants of mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus antedating pregnancy. The distribution of the study population (n = 180) by class of diabetes was class B (27%); class C (28%); class D (29%); class F, FR and T (8%); and class R patients (8%). The diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was the standard for evaluating the performance of FLM S/A and DSPC. The mean estimated gestational age was 37.4 weeks. Three infants (1.7%) were diagnosed with RDS. All three were delivered before 36 weeks. FLM S/A at the cut-off for "maturity" of > or = 70 mg/g, had a sensitivity of 66.6%, specificity of 94.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 18.2%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.4%. DSPC at the cut-off for "maturity" of 1,000 micrograms/dL, had identical sensitivity and NPV, but lower specificity (89.2%) and PPV (9.5%) than FLM S/A. Both tests mispredicted maturity in the same case of RDS. The false "mature" rate of FLM S/A was 0.6% (95% confidence interval 0.0%-3.2%). The FLM S/A result of > or = 70 mg/g, obtained at or near-term, is a reliable predictor of the absence of RDS in infants of mothers with diabetes mellitus antedating pregnancy.
Tanasijevic
M J
MJ
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Winkelman
J W
JW
Wybenga
D R
DR
Richardson
D K
DK
Greene
M F
MF
D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000032:analysis*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000418:Albumins; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; C017463:lecithins, disaturated