Biomaterial Database

Free alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin in Down syndrome. 1993

K Spencer

Clinical Biochemistry Department, Oldchurch Hospital, Romford, Essex, United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential value of maternal serum free alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in discriminating between pregnancies associated with Down syndrome and normal matched controls. METHODS Maternal serum concentrations were evaluated in 36 cases of fetal Down syndrome and compared with concentrations in 180 control unaffected pregnancies within the gestational age range 16 to 20 weeks matched for maternal age, gestational age, and storage duration. RESULTS The results of the study indicate that free alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in the Down syndrome group were not significantly different from those in the unaffected group (median multiple of the median: for Down syndrome group, 0.991; for unaffected group, 1.000). CONCLUSIONS Caution is urged in the interpretation of published data; a case for using this subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin in Down syndrome screening protocols in the second trimester is not yet proved.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
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
D011262	Pregnancy Trimester, Second	The middle third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 15th through the 28th completed week (99 to 196 days) of gestation.	Midtrimester,Pregnancy, Second Trimester,Trimester, Second,Midtrimesters,Pregnancies, Second Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Second,Second Pregnancy Trimester,Second Pregnancy Trimesters,Second Trimester,Second Trimester Pregnancies,Second Trimester Pregnancy,Second Trimesters,Trimesters, Second
D004314	Down Syndrome	A chromosome disorder associated either with an extra CHROMOSOME 21 or an effective TRISOMY for chromosome 21. Clinical manifestations include HYPOTONIA, short stature, BRACHYCEPHALY, upslanting palpebral fissures, epicanthus, Brushfield spots on the iris, protruding tongue, small ears, short, broad hands, fifth finger clinodactyly, single transverse palmar crease, and moderate to severe INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. Cardiac and gastrointestinal malformations, a marked increase in the incidence of LEUKEMIA, and the early onset of ALZHEIMER DISEASE are also associated with this condition. Pathologic features include the development of NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES in neurons and the deposition of AMYLOID BETA-PROTEIN, similar to the pathology of ALZHEIMER DISEASE. (Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p213)	Mongolism,Trisomy 21,47,XX,+21,47,XY,+21,Down Syndrome, Partial Trisomy 21,Down's Syndrome,Partial Trisomy 21 Down Syndrome,Trisomy 21, Meiotic Nondisjunction,Trisomy 21, Mitotic Nondisjunction,Trisomy G,Downs Syndrome,Syndrome, Down,Syndrome, Down's
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D015292	Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit	The alpha chain of pituitary glycoprotein hormones (THYROTROPIN; FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE; LUTEINIZING HORMONE) and the placental CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN. Within a species, the alpha subunits of these four hormones are identical; the distinct functional characteristics of these glycoprotein hormones are determined by the unique beta subunits. Both subunits, the non-covalently bound heterodimers, are required for full biologic activity.	FSH, alpha Subunit,Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, alpha Subunit,LH, alpha Subunit,Luteinizing Hormone, alpha Subunit,Pituitary Glycoprotein Hormone, alpha Subunit,TSH, alpha Subunit,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone, alpha Subunit,Thyrotropin alpha Subunit,ASGPH,Chorionic Gonadotropin, alpha,Chorionic Gonadotropin, alpha Subunit,Common alpha Subunit Glycoprotein Hormones,FSH-alpha,Follicle Stimulating Hormone, alpha Subunit,Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Chain,Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Polypeptide,Lutotropin-alpha,TSH-alpha,FSH alpha,Lutotropin alpha,TSH alpha,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, alpha Subunit
D016011	Normal Distribution	Continuous frequency distribution of infinite range. Its properties are as follows: 1, continuous, symmetrical distribution with both tails extending to infinity; 2, arithmetic mean, mode, and median identical; and 3, shape completely determined by the mean and standard deviation.	Gaussian Distribution,Distribution, Gaussian,Distribution, Normal,Distributions, Normal,Normal Distributions