Biomaterial Database

[Evaluation of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and the foam test as tests of fetal lung maturity]. 1978

H J van der Merwe, and E J Cranna

The lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio and the foam test to determine fetal lung maturity in order to prevent hyaline membrane disease (HMD) were used in 800 patients at Tygerberg Hospital. The incidence of HMD in all neonates diminished from 3.25% in 1971, when the lung maturity test was not done, to 2.12% in 1975, the 4th year that such determinations were done. In the same period the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) increased from 3.68% to 4.31%. Only 1% of fetuses in whom lung maturity was determined during the period 1972--1975 developed HMD. This reduced incidence of HMD is considered to be the result of prenatal determination of fetal lung maturity. No correlation was found between fetal lung maturity and length of gestation or physical condition of the neonate. The foam test results were compared with the L/S ratio, and a false positive figure of 8.3% and a false negative figure of 27.1% were found. It is recommended that the foam test be used for screening and the L/S determination be done only if the foam test is negative in high-risk patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D010713	Phosphatidylcholines	Derivatives of PHOSPHATIDIC ACIDS in which the phosphoric acid is bound in ester linkage to a CHOLINE moiety.	Choline Phosphoglycerides,Choline Glycerophospholipids,Phosphatidyl Choline,Phosphatidyl Cholines,Phosphatidylcholine,Choline, Phosphatidyl,Cholines, Phosphatidyl,Glycerophospholipids, Choline,Phosphoglycerides, Choline
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011296	Prenatal Diagnosis	Determination of the nature of a pathological condition or disease in the postimplantation EMBRYO; FETUS; or pregnant female before birth.	Diagnosis, Prenatal,Fetal Diagnosis,Fetal Imaging,Fetal Screening,Intrauterine Diagnosis,Antenatal Diagnosis,Antenatal Screening,Diagnosis, Antenatal,Diagnosis, Intrauterine,Prenatal Screening,Antenatal Diagnoses,Antenatal Screenings,Diagnosis, Fetal,Fetal Diagnoses,Fetal Imagings,Fetal Screenings,Imaging, Fetal,Intrauterine Diagnoses,Prenatal Diagnoses,Prenatal Screenings,Screening, Antenatal,Screening, Fetal,Screening, Prenatal
D005260	Female		Females
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006819	Hyaline Membrane Disease	A respiratory distress syndrome in newborn infants, usually premature infants with insufficient PULMONARY SURFACTANTS. The disease is characterized by the formation of a HYALINE-like membrane lining the terminal respiratory airspaces (PULMONARY ALVEOLI) and subsequent collapse of the lung (PULMONARY ATELECTASIS).	Disease, Hyaline Membrane,Diseases, Hyaline Membrane,Hyaline Membrane Diseases
D000653	Amniotic Fluid	A clear, yellowish liquid that envelopes the FETUS inside the sac of AMNION. In the first trimester, it is likely a transudate of maternal or fetal plasma. In the second trimester, amniotic fluid derives primarily from fetal lung and kidney. Cells or substances in this fluid can be removed for prenatal diagnostic tests (AMNIOCENTESIS).	Amniotic Fluid Index,Amniotic Fluid Indices,Amniotic Fluids,Fluid Index, Amniotic,Fluid Indices, Amniotic,Fluid, Amniotic,Fluids, Amniotic,Index, Amniotic Fluid,Indices, Amniotic Fluid