Related Experiment Videos
Prediction of fetal lung maturity by use of the Lumadex-FSI test
We analyzed amniotic fluid from 91 pregnancies (estimated gestational age range 31 to 41 weeks), using the Lumadex-FSI Fetal Lung Maturity test (Beckman Instruments), and also determining phosphatidylglycerol content, the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio, and foam stability index by the "shake test," and compared results with newborn outcome. Five of 64 babies born within 72 h of testing developed hyaline membrane disease. Except for the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio, the predictive value of a negative test was 100% but that of a positive test was less than 50%. Use of all four tests did not offer diagnostic advantage over the use of Lumadex-FSI alone. For the laboratory that infrequently assesses fetal lung maturity, we believe the sealed cassette format of the Lumadex-FSI will permit better quality assurance than the shake test. The Lumadex-FSI test is intended to provide a graded estimate of positive risk for hyaline membrane disease, but more data from different centers and patient populations are needed to establish reliable predictive values.
We analyzed amniotic fluid from 91 pregnancies (estimated gestational age range 31 to 41 weeks), using the Lumadex-FSI Fetal Lung Maturity test (Beckman Instruments), and also determining phosphatidylglycerol content, the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio, and foam stability index by the "shake test," and compared results with newborn outcome. Five of 64 babies born within 72 h of testing developed hyaline membrane disease. Except for the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio, the predictive value of a negative test was 100% but that of a positive test was less than 50%. Use of all four tests did not offer diagnostic advantage over the use of Lumadex-FSI alone. For the laboratory that infrequently assesses fetal lung maturity, we believe the sealed cassette format of the Lumadex-FSI will permit better quality assurance than the shake test. The Lumadex-FSI test is intended to provide a graded estimate of positive risk for hyaline membrane disease, but more data from different centers and patient populations are needed to establish reliable predictive values.