The clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Lamellar body count in fetal lung maturation test.

Hong, Seung Pyo; Park, Eun Kyung; Jeong, Sun Young; Joo, Ha Kyong; Lee, Jee Hyun; Moon, Hee Bong; Koh, Young Me; Shin, Jong Chul; Kim, Chang Yi

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2002;45(11):1951-1955.
Published online November 1, 2002.

The clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Lamellar body count in fetal lung maturation test.

Seung Pyo Hong, Eun Kyung Park, Sun Young Jeong, Ha Kyong Joo, Jee Hyun Lee, Hee Bong Moon, Young Me Koh, Jong Chul Shin, Chang Yi Kim

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the availability and efficacy of the Lamellar body count as a predictor of fetal lung maturity METHODS: Amniocentesis was performed for evaluation of fetal lung maturity status within 72 hours of delivery in 32 patients. A Lamellar body count in clean amniotic fluid (AF) was analyzed right after amniocentesis. In case of contaminated AF with meconium or blood, samples was centrifuged for 3 minutes and divided into three. The average of three samples was analyzed successively from Coulter counter. RESULTS: The incidence of RDS showed significant relation with gestational age, 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar Score. Using a value greater than 30,000/ l to indicate pulmonary maturity, the Lamellar body count predicted all lung-maturated cases with no false-negative results (100% negative predictive value). All 4 cases of RDS demonstrated Lamellar body count less than 30,000/microl. By using a lower cutoff of 10,000/microl to predict pulmonary immaturity. Positive predictive value was 100% in RDS patients. CONCLUSION: In high risk pregnancy, fetal lung maturity test from amniotic fluid lamellar body count is a rapid, simple and reliable method in making a decision of delivery-time. And also it has universal availability with cost-effectiveness when we consider the reality of korean medical situation

Key Words: Lamellar body count, fetal lung maturity, Respiratory distress syndrome