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Evaluation of Amniotic Fluid Elastolytic Activity: Can it be a Method of Fetal Lung Maturity Assessment? A Comparison with Gluck's L/S Test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

G. Bażowska
Affiliation:
2nd, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Silesian School of Medicine
A. Jendryczko*
Affiliation:
Department of Drug Chemistry and Analysis, Silesian School of Medicine
J. Dudkiewicz
Affiliation:
2nd, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Silesian School of Medicine
*
Kierownik Katedry i Zakladu, Chemii i Anallizy Leków, Śląskiej Akademii Medycznej, 41-200 Sosnowiec ul. Jagiellońska 4, Poland

Abstract

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Amniotic fluid elastolytic activity was assessed in a group of 120 women who delivered preterm infants and in 35 women who delivered at term. Amniotic fluid elastolytic activity decreases as pregnancy progresses. The lecithin-to-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in women's amniotic fluid was determined by the method developed by Gluck and associates [6] and elastolytic activity by that developed by Mehdi and associates. A significant negative correlation was found between the amniotic fluid L/S ratio and amniotic fluid elastolytic activity (r = −0.932; p<0.001).

The border value of elastolytic activity that indicates lung maturity (L/S ratio equal to or greater than 2) is 2.01 ± 0.05 mmol/min ml. In the amniotic elastolytic activity test, it is the value that differentiates mature from immature lungs. The amniotic fluid elastolytic activity test is characterized by high sensitivity (91.43%) and specificity (91.67%), high positive prognostic value (76.19%) and low negative prognostic value (2.65%). The test parameters do not therefore differ greatly from those of the Gluck test. Moreover, the amniotic fluid elastolytic activity test is cheaper and takes less time to perform.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1994

References

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