Fetal nasal bone in screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 and Turner syndrome at 11-13 weeks of gestation.

To investigate the performance of first-trimester screening for aneuploidies by including assessment of the fetal nasal bone in the combined test of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness, fetal heart rate (FHR) and serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A). Screening by the combined test was performed in singleton pregnancies, including 19,614 with euploid fetuses, 122 with trisomy 21, 36 with trisomy 18, 20 with trisomy 13 and eight with Turner syndrome. In all cases the fetal nasal bone was assessed and classified as present or absent. We examined the performance of two screening strategies: firstly, assessment of the nasal bone in all patients and secondly, first-stage screening using the combined test in all patients followed by second-stage assessment of the nasal bone only in those with an intermediate risk of 1 in 51 to 1 in 1000 after the first stage. To validate the new risk algorithm we used a second independent dataset of 19 651 fetuses, including 139 with trisomy 21. The nasal bone was absent in 2.6% of the euploid fetuses, 59.8% with trisomy 21, 52.8% with trisomy 18, 45.0% with trisomy 13 and in none of the fetuses with Turner syndrome. Respective figures for an absent nasal bone in the validation population, which contained fewer Black women, were 0.6%, 62.6%, 55.3%, 35.3% and 41.7%. In a screening policy based on maternal age, fetal NT, FHR, serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A, for a fixed risk cut-off of 1 : 100, the false-positive rate was 3.0%. The standardized detection rates were 91% for trisomy 21 and 100% for trisomy 18, trisomy 13 and Turner syndrome, respectively. Assessment of the nasal bone in all pregnancies reduced the false-positive rate to 2.5% without changing the detection rate. A detection rate of 93% was achieved with the two-stage strategy at a false-positive rate of 2.4% in which it was necessary to assess the nasal bone in only 15% of the total population. In the validation dataset, screening by the combined test and using a risk cut-off of 1 : 100 detected 90% of the cases with trisomy 21 for a false-positive rate of 4%. Inclusion of the nasal bone increased the detection rate to 92% for a false-positive rate of 2.9%. Contingent screening detected 92% of cases for a false-positive rate of 2.9%. Assessment of the fetal nasal bone improves the performance of first-trimester screening for trisomy 21.

Kagan KO ，Cicero S ，Staboulidou I ，Wright D ，Nicolaides KH ... -  《-》

Tricuspid regurgitation in screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 and Turner syndrome at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks of gestation.

To investigate the performance of first-trimester screening for aneuploidies by including assessment of tricuspid blood flow in the combined test of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness, fetal heart rate (FHR) and serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A). Screening by the combined test was performed in singleton pregnancies, including 19 614 with chromosomally normal fetuses or the delivery of a phenotypically normal baby (euploid group), 122 with trisomy 21, 36 with trisomy 18, 20 with trisomy 13 and eight with Turner syndrome. In all cases tricuspid flow was assessed to determine if there was tricuspid regurgitation. We examined the performance of two screening strategies: firstly, assessment of tricuspid flow in all patients and secondly, first-stage screening using the combined test in all patients followed by second-stage assessment of tricuspid flow only in those with an intermediate risk of 1 in 51 to 1 in 1000 after the first stage. Tricuspid regurgitation was observed in 0.9% of the euploid fetuses and 55.7%, 33.3% and 30% of the fetuses with trisomies 21, 18 and 13, respectively, and in 37.5% of those with Turner syndrome. In a screening policy based on maternal age, fetal NT, FHR, serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A, for a fixed false positive rate of 3% the standardized detection rates were 91% for trisomy 21 and 100% for trisomy 18, trisomy 13 and Turner syndrome. Assessment of tricuspid flow in all pregnancies would increase the detection rate of trisomy 21 to 96%, and the detection rates of trisomy 18, trisomy 13 and Turner syndrome would be 92%, 100% and 100%, respectively. The same detection rates were achieved with the two-stage strategy-in which it was necessary to assess tricuspid flow in only 15% of the total population-at a false positive rate of 2.4%. Assessment of tricuspid flow improves the performance of first-trimester screening for trisomy 21.

Kagan KO ，Valencia C ，Livanos P ，Wright D ，Nicolaides KH ... -  《-》

Maternal serum biochemistry at 11-13(+6) weeks in relation to the presence or absence of the fetal nasal bone on ultrasonography in chromosomally abnormal fetuses: an updated analysis of integrated ultrasound and biochemical screening.

Screening for trisomy 21 by a combination of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free beta-hCG and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) at 11-13(+6) weeks of gestation is associated with a detection rate of 90%, for a false-positive rate of 5%. Recent evidence suggests that in about 70% of fetuses with trisomy 21 the nasal bone is not visible at the 11-13(+6) week scan and that the frequency of absence of nasal bone differs in different ethnic groups. In addition, there is a relationship between absent nasal bone and nuchal translucency thickness. In a preliminary study we showed that while PAPP-A levels were lower and free beta-hCG levels were higher in trisomy 21 fetuses with an absent nasal bone, this difference was not statistically different. In fetuses with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18, there is also a high (57 and 67%) incidence of an absent nasal bone. The aim of this present study was to extend our examination of whether the level of maternal serum biochemical markers is independent of the presence or absence of the nasal bone in cases with trisomy 21 and to ascertain if any differences exist in cases with trisomies 13 and 18. This study data comprised 100 trisomy 21 singleton pregnancies at 11-13(+6) weeks of gestation from our previous study and an additional 42 cases analysed as part of routine OSCAR screening. A total of 34 cases with trisomy 18 and 12 cases with trisomy 13 were also available. Ultrasound examination was carried out for measurement of fetal NT and assessment of the presence or absence of the fetal nasal bone. Maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A were measured using the Kryptor rapid random access immunoassay analyser (Brahms Diagnostica AG, Berlin). The distribution of maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A in chromosomally abnormal fetuses with absent and present nasal bone was examined. The nasal bone was absent in 29 and present in 13 of the new trisomy 21 cases and in 98 (69%) and 44 respectively in the combined series. For the trisomy 18 cases, the nasal bone was absent in 19 (55.9%) cases and in 3 (25%) of cases of trisomy 13. There were no significant differences in median maternal age, median gestational age, NT delta, free beta-hCG MoM and PAPP-A MoM in trisomy 21 fetuses with and without a visible nasal bone, and similarly for those with trisomies 13 or 18. For a false-positive rate of 5%, it was estimated that screening with the four markers in combination with maternal age would be associated with a detection rate of 96% of cases with trisomy 21. For a false-positive rate of 0.5%, the detection rate was 88%. There is no relationship between an absent fetal nasal bone and the levels of maternal serum PAPP-A or free beta-hCG in cases with trisomies 13, 18 or 21. An integrated sonographic and biochemical test at 11-13(+6) weeks can potentially identify about 88% of trisomy 21 fetuses for a false-positive rate of 0.5%.

Cicero S ，Spencer K ，Avgidou K ，Faiola S ，Nicolaides KH ... -  《PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS》

Integrated ultrasound and biochemical screening for trisomy 21 using fetal nuchal translucency, absent fetal nasal bone, free beta-hCG and PAPP-A at 11 to 14 weeks.

Screening for trisomy 21 by a combination of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free beta-hCG and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation is associated with a detection rate of 90% for a false-positive rate of 5%. Recent evidence suggests that in about 70% of fetuses with trisomy 21, the nasal bone is not visible at the 11th- to 14th-week scan (Cicero et al., 2001). The aim of this study was to examine whether fetal NT thickness and the level of maternal serum biochemical markers is independent of the presence or absence of the nasal bone, and to estimate the performance of a screening test that integrates the two sonographic and the two biochemical markers. This was a retrospective case-control study comprising 100 trisomy 21 and 400 chromosomally normal singleton pregnancies at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound examination was carried out for measurement of fetal NT and assessment of the presence or absence of the fetal nasal bone. Maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A were measured using the Kryptor rapid random-access immunoassay analyser (Brahms Diagnostica GmbH, Berlin). The distribution of fetal NT, maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A in trisomy 21 fetuses with absent and present nasal bone was examined. The nasal bone was absent in 69 and present in 31 of the trisomy 21 fetuses. There were no significant differences in median maternal age, median gestational age, NT delta, free beta-hCG MoM and PAPP-A MoM in trisomy 21 fetuses with and without a visible nasal bone. For a false-positive rate of 5%, it was estimated that screening with the four markers in combination with maternal age would be associated with a detection rate of 97%. For a false-positive rate of 0.5%, the detection rate was 90.5%. An integrated sonographic and biochemical test at 11 to 14 weeks can potentially identify about 90% of trisomy 21 fetuses for a false-positive rate of 0.5%.

Cicero S ，Bindra R ，Rembouskos G ，Spencer K ，Nicolaides KH ... -  《PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS》

[Study on several ultrasound markers combined maternal serum biochemical markers to screen fetal chromosomal aneuploidy at 11 to 13(+)6 weeks of gestation].

Chen X ，Chang Y ，Cui HY ，Ren CC ，Yu BY ... -  《-》