Palmitic Acid Levels in Amniotic Fluid and the Shake Test

Abstract

Summary One hundred and six samples of amniotic fluid were analyzed independently by four clinicians for surfactant content, using the shake test and the palmitic acid content of the amniotic fluid. The variation of the results in the 424 shake tests were examined and the shake tests correlated with the palmitic acid levels. A positive shake test to a dilution of 1:4 had a 100 per cent correlation with a mature palmitic acid level over 35 pg./ml., while a positive test at a dilution 1:2 gave a 5.6 per cent false positive rate. A high false negative rate was found, however, and estimates of the chance of a mature surfactant level in relation to the range of shake tests results are given. Eleven patients had low palmitic acid levels in the amniotic fluid prior to delivery and three of the infants developed the respiratory distress syndrome.

Successful pregnancy in acute monocytic leukaemia

“…At 37 weeks of gestation the patient had completed her tenth course of cytotoxic therapy and was haematologically normal. At this time a palmitic acid level in the liquor amnii was 37 ng/ml, indicating little risk of the foetus developing idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (MacLennan et al, 1975 On the day of delivery, samples of hair were taken from the mother and her infant for study under the scanning electron microscope. The mother's newly grown hair (adjacent to the bulb) showed fractured cuticular squames, features which have been seen previously in patients on cytotoxic therapy (Baum and Harris, 1975).…”