Usefulness of Triple Marker Testing for Prenatal Diagnosis.
- Author:
Jong Rak CHOI
;
Kyung A LEE
;
Kyung Soon SONG
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Chorionic Gonadotropin;
Chromosome Aberrations;
Down Syndrome;
Estriol;
Female;
Fetal Proteins;
Humans;
Karyotype;
Mass Screening;
Pregnancy;
Pregnancy Trimester, Second;
Prenatal Diagnosis*
- From:Korean Journal of Clinical Pathology
1997;17(4):575-580
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to assess the utility of prenatal triple-marker (alpha- fetoprotein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and unconjugated estriol (uE3) testing for chromosomal abnormalities in women with Down syndrome screen-positive results. METHODS: Total 1,082 women between 15 and 21 weeks' gestation received second trimester Down syndrome risk evaluation by triple marker testing. AFP, beta-hCG and uE3 were measured by Coat-A-Count(R) IRMA (Diagnostic Products Corporation, LA, USA), The risk for Down syndrome was calculated using a commercially available software program (AFP Expert; Benetech Medical System, Toronto, Canada) by use of a Down syndrome risk cutoff value(1:270 at midtrimester). Karyotypes were reviewed for 32 (54.2%) of these patients who received prenatal chromosome analysis. RESULTS: Fifty nine (5.5%) patients of the 1,082 women screened were identified as positive. Two chromosome abnormalities (47,XYY and 46,XX, int (9) ) were found in the 32 patients who underwent prenatal chromosome analysis (6.3%). Any cases on the abnormal serum tests torn out not to be associated with trisomy 21. CONCLUSIONS: Although triple marker screen appears to be an effective method detecting chromosome abnormalities there is a high false positive rate. Therefore, new screening test that reduce false positive rate is need to be introduced.
