title: Similarity of insulin-dependent diabetics' and non-insulin-dependent diabetics' levels of beta-hCG and unconjugated estriol with controls: no need to adjust as with alpha-fetoprotein.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if the same systematic alteration of serum values seen for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in diabetic patients is also seen for beta-hCG and unconjugated estriol (uE3).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum AFP, beta-hCG, and uE3 results were obtained in 18,639 patients for whom complete follow-up information was obtained. Patients were divided into euglycemic (n = 18,088), insulin-requiring diabetics (n = 104), and non-insulin-requiring diabetics (n = 437), as well as by race.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 20% adjustment used for AFP appropriately corrects serum values. No such systematic variation is seen for either beta-hCG or uE3 by glycemic status or race.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No adjustment for beta-hCG or uE3 is necessary for diabetes for biochemical screening programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hutzel Hospital/Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dvorin
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Krivchenia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drugan
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000782:Aneuploidy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D044383:Black People; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D044465:White People; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004964:Estriol