Juan J. Piazze, Luca Maranghi, Albana Cerekja, Paolo Meloni, Stefano Gioia, Luisa Fumian, Ermelando V. Cosmi, Maurizio M. Anceschi
Amniotic fluid lamellar body counts for the determination of fetal lung maturity: an update
Aim: To reassess the cut-off value for lamellar body counts (LBs) for fetal lung maturity (FLM) over a 10-year study period.
Patients and methods: 178 pregnancies were selected under strict inclusion criteria and delivered within 48 h from amniocentesis. FLM was determined by amniotic fluid LBs in centrifuged samples (300×g for 10 min) in a commercially available Coulter Counter. Cases beyond 37 weeks were excluded.
Results: Mean gestational age was 33.5±3.0 weeks at amniocentesis and 33.7±3.0 weeks at birth. After reassessing the best compromise between sensitivity and specificity for all cases using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) procedure, an FLM cut-off value of ?22,000/?L was obtained. Diagnostic accuracy (and confidence interval, CI) was: sensitivity, 73% (60.0–83.6%); specificity, 81.7% (CI 73.6–88.1%); positive predictive value, 66.2%; and negative predictive value, 86.0%.
Conclusion: No significant change in FLM cut-off for LBs was found when comparing the value from this study and the results of our earlier report presented in 1996 (?22,000 vs. ?20,000/?L), although the new value may be more accurate, since it is based on neonatal outcome with the exclusion of cases in which the diagnosis of FLM is seldom warranted, i.e., >37 weeks' gestational age.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 33, 03/2005
Pages: 156 - 160
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