[Prenatal screening for Down's syndrome: a simplified method]. 1993

P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
Sezione Citogenetica, Ospedale di Cremona.

Prenatal screening for Down's syndrome (DS) can be achieved by combining maternal age risks and maternal serum additional parameters (AFP, HCG, uE3) by computer assisted statistical analysis. Nevertheless this measure of risk is far from broad and practical application in Italy, due to cultural and organization difficulties. So we suggest a different technical approach, the age specific risk being multiplied by the HCG/AFP likelihood ratio. HCG and AFP can be tested by an automated Elisa assay, and calculations performed by a simple method, excluding computer and software package use. About 100 pregnancies were evaluated both by a modified version of the Wald test and the method described hereafter. Using the automated HCG and AFP Elisa Testing and Crossley statistical calculation a higher False Positive Rate was observed. On the other hand no different Detection Rate was observed for the two tests. On a retrospective study we found that 5 sera from affected pregnancies were correctly identified both by the modified Wald test and the other method. It is concluded that, despite different False Positive Rates, the choice of which test to use depends on evaluation of local resources, one test being easier-to-perform and more sensitive, the other one probably being more specific but more difficult to perform.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007558 Italy A country in southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. The capital is Rome. Sardinia
D008403 Mass Screening Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease. Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D009436 Neural Tube Defects Congenital malformations of the central nervous system and adjacent structures related to defective neural tube closure during the first trimester of pregnancy generally occurring between days 18-29 of gestation. Ectodermal and mesodermal malformations (mainly involving the skull and vertebrae) may occur as a result of defects of neural tube closure. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, pp31-41) Craniorachischisis,Developmental Defects, Neural Tube,Diastematomyelia,Exencephaly,Neurenteric Cyst,Spinal Cord Myelodysplasia,Tethered Cord Syndrome,Acrania,Developmental Neural Tube Defects,Iniencephaly,Neural Tube Developmental Defects,Neuroenteric Cyst,Occult Spinal Dysraphism,Occult Spinal Dysraphism Sequence,Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome,Acranias,Craniorachischises,Cyst, Neurenteric,Cyst, Neuroenteric,Cysts, Neurenteric,Cysts, Neuroenteric,Defect, Neural Tube,Defects, Neural Tube,Diastematomyelias,Dysraphism, Occult Spinal,Dysraphisms, Occult Spinal,Exencephalies,Iniencephalies,Myelodysplasia, Spinal Cord,Myelodysplasias, Spinal Cord,Neural Tube Defect,Neurenteric Cysts,Neuroenteric Cysts,Occult Spinal Dysraphisms,Spinal Cord Myelodysplasias,Spinal Dysraphism, Occult,Spinal Dysraphisms, Occult,Tethered Cord Syndromes
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
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
D005069 Evaluation Studies as Topic Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies. Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D005189 False Positive Reactions Positive test results in subjects who do not possess the attribute for which the test is conducted. The labeling of healthy persons as diseased when screening in the detection of disease. (Last, A Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed) False Positive Reaction,Positive Reaction, False,Positive Reactions, False,Reaction, False Positive,Reactions, False Positive
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup

Related Publications

P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
July 1991, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
December 1992, The New England journal of medicine,
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
August 1991, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
September 1991, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
August 1991, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
November 1997, Zhonghua fu chan ke za zhi,
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
July 1991, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
June 1986, The New England journal of medicine,
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
December 1992, The New England journal of medicine,
P Cavalli, and G Zacchè, and S Montagna, and P Colombani, and B Morrica, and G L Romanini
November 1993, BMJ (Clinical research ed.),
Copied contents to your clipboard!