Amniotic Fluid Surface Tension Measurements versus Various Phospholipid Determinations in the Assessment of Fetal Lung Maturity

Respiration ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bichler ◽  
G. Daxenbichler ◽  
A. Ortner ◽  
H. Grill ◽  
W. Geir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Fluid Surface ◽  
Lung Maturity

Improved thin-layer chromatography of disaturated phosphatidylcholine in amniotic fluid.

1981 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Y Tsai ◽  
M Cain ◽  
M W Josephson
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Thin Layer ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Thin Layer Chromatography ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Dipalmitoyl Phosphatidylcholine ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
Layer Chromatography ◽  
Lung Maturity

Abstract We describe an indirect test of fetal lung maturity: the quantitation of disaturated phosphatidylcholine in amniotic fluid. The lipids in samples of amniotic fluid from 172 patients were reacted with osmium tetroxide, and disaturated phosphatidylcholine was then isolated by thin-layer chromatography. Interfering substances were retained by a pre-adsorbent layer. The charred disaturated phosphatidylcholine, quantitated by densitometry, was compared to standard dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine. Both within-run and between-run coefficients of variation were about 10%. Blood and meconium do not interfere. Six infants developed respiratory distress when disaturated phosphatidylcholine concentrations of amniotic fluid drawn within 72 h of delivery were less than 5.5 mg/L. A concurrently determined lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio falsely predicted lung maturity in one of these. In seven other samples for which lecithin/sphingomyelin ratios suggested lung immaturity but disaturated phosphatidyl-choline predicted maturity, none of the infants developed respiratory distress. In normal pregnancies, measurement of disaturated phosphatidylcholine in amniotic fluid appears to be a better predictor of fetal lung maturity than is measurement of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio. Further studies are needed to determine if this analysis is a better predictor in diabetic pregnancies.

scholarly journals Lamellar Body Phospholipid Content of Amniotic Fluid: A Possible Index of Fetal Lung Maturity

1979 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coral G. Duck-Chong
Keyword(s):  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Lamellar Body ◽  
Alveolar Epithelium ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Phospholipid Content ◽  
Secretory Cells ◽  
Lamellar Bodies ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Lung Maturity

Lamellar bodies, produced by secretory cells in the alveolar epithelium, are the major source of surfactant phospholipid. As the fetal lung matures, the membranous content of the lamellar bodies is secreted into the alveolar spaces and passes into the amniotic fluid, from which it can be isolated in a morphologically recognisable form. A method is described for the rapid isolation of a lamellar body fraction from amniotic fluid using a small air-driven clinical ultracentrifuge. The lamellar body phospholipid content of amniotic fluid increases towards the end of gestation, but the time of onset and the rate of this increase show wide individual variation. Preliminary results suggest that the lamellar body phospholipid content of amniotic fluid may be a useful index of fetal lung maturity.

An enzymic radiochemical method for determining phosphatidylglycerol in amniotic fluid.

1983 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 782-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Siegel ◽  
S I Walker ◽  
N I Robin
Keyword(s):  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Liquid Scintillation ◽  
Scintillation Counter ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Liquid Scintillation Counter ◽  
Radiochemical Method ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Lung Maturity

Abstract We describe an enzymic quantification of phosphatidylglycerol in amniotic fluid. Phosphatidylglycerol is hydrolyzed in alkali and the resulting glycerol is then enzymatically phosphorylated with adenosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate to yield glycero[32P]phosphate. After removal of excess [gamma-32P]ATP by charcoal, the radioactivity of the glycerophosphate is measured in a liquid scintillation counter. Triglyceride in the amniotic fluid is hydrolyzed by lipase before extraction and thus does not interfere with the analysis. This method is specific for phosphatidylglycerol. Preliminary studies suggest that a phosphatidylglycerol value greater than or equal to 10 nmol/mL correlates with fetal lung maturity.

Lamellar body phospholipid content of amniotic fluid and L/S ratio compared in assessing fetal lung maturity.

1980 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 766-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
C G Duck-Chong ◽  
J M Gupta ◽  
G N Storey ◽  
C R Houghton
Keyword(s):  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Lamellar Body ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Hyaline Membrane Disease ◽  
Phospholipid Content ◽  
Human Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Respiratory Problems ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Hyaline Membrane ◽  
Lung Maturity

Abstract A micro-method has been devised for isolating a lung-derived membranous fraction from human amniotic fluid. The phospholipid content of this fraction, known as lamellar body phospholipid, provides an indication of fetal lung maturity (Ann. Clin. Biochem 16: 191, 1979). This method has now been applied to 479 samples of amniotic fluid from 330 pregnancies. The lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio has also been determined for each of the samples by the routine method currently in use in the hospitals providing the samples. Hyaline membrane disease was associated with a low concentration of lamellar body phospholipid (< 35 mg/L) in all eight cases encountered in this study. In contrast, in 182 of the 185 cases where the lamellar body content of the amniotic fluid, collected within two days of delivery, exceeded 35 mg/L, the infants were free from serious respiratory problems. Data are presented which suggests that the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio falsely indicated lung immaturity in many cases, amounting to 44% or more of all values indicating immaturity that were reported.

Assay of disaturated phosphatidylcholine in amniotic fluid as a test of fetal lung maturity: experience with 2000 analyses.

1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1648-1651 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Y Tsai ◽  
E K Shultz ◽  
P P Williams ◽  
R Bendel ◽  
J Butler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Fetal Lung Maturity ◽  
Pooled Samples ◽  
Lung Maturity ◽  
Diabetic Mothers ◽  
Length Of Gestation

Abstract We determined concentrations of disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) in nearly 2000 amniotic fluid samples obtained either transabdominally or as vaginal pools. Here we report our comparison of these DSPC values with the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios for amniotic fluid samples obtained from diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancies and also between transabdominally or vaginally collected samples uncontaminated by blood or meconium. DSPC measurement is at least as good as the L/S ratio in predicting the absence of respiratory distress syndrome. DSPC concentrations were, however, lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic pregnancies, supporting the hypothesis that DSPC synthesis may be impaired in fetuses of diabetic mothers. Visually uncontaminated samples collected transabdominally or vaginally, when grouped according to length of gestation, have similar DSPC values but different L/S ratios. Thus, even in the absence of blood or meconium, DSPC may be a more useful test than the L/S ratio for vaginally pooled samples.

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