title: First trimester screening for Down's syndrome using maternal serum PAPP-A and free beta-hCG in combination with fetal nuchal translucency thickness.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effectiveness of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and free beta-hCG in combination with nuchal translucency thickness in first trimester screening for Down's syndrome. Maternal serum levels of PAPP-A and free beta-hCG were assayed in stored sera from 32 Down's syndrome and 200 unaffected pregnancies. Fetal nuchal translucency was measured by ultrasound at the time of blood sampling. Screening of Down's syndrome using a combination of maternal age, PAPP-A, free beta-hCG and nuchal translucency would achieve a detection rate of 75.8% for a false positive rate of 5%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biagiotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brizzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Periti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: d'Agata
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cariati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A