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stearic acid ratio in lecithin and fetal maturity
Volume Number
121 4
Correspondence
of us who are responsive and responsible to the public would appreciate a soft-pedaling of guilt-by-association attacks upon the rat. Richard
P. Perkins,
Department of Obstetrics and University of Colorado School 4200 E. Ninth ALIE. Denzrer, Colorado 80220
M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Assistant Professor
Gynecology of Medicine
value in diabetic, drug-abuse, and high-risk pregnancies than the lecithin concentration, L/S ratio, and shake test. The only problem is that the P/S ratio measurements are time consuming, but we feel that this test in highrisk pregnancies is more appropriate. To our knowledge, conclusions similar to ours have not been reported before with the use of the P/S ratio itself. Frederick
REFERENCES
1. Kimball,
A. C., Kean, B. H., and Fuchs, F.: AM. J. 111:211, 1971. Kimball, A. C., Kean, B. H., and Fuchs, F.: AM. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 119: 208,. 1974. Frenkel, J. K., Dubey, J. P., and Miller, N. L.: Science 167: 893, 1970. Hutchison, W. M., Dunachie, J. F., Siim, J. C., and Work, K.: Br. Med. J. 1: 142, 1970. Frenkel, J. K.: J. Infect. Dis. 122: 553, 1970. Krogstad, D. J., et al.: Ann. Intern. Med. 77: 773, 1972. McCall’s, November, 1971. ORSTET.GYNECOL.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Palmitic acid/stearic and fetal maturity To
the
acid
ratio
in
lecithin
Editors:
We recently reported the levels of palmitic acid in lecithin of human amniotic fluid at different gestational weeks (Anr. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 119: 623, 1974). In this report we suggested the importance of palmitic and stearic acid (P/S) ratios in the lecithin of amniotic fluid. The P/S ratios correlated well with gestational age in normal human pregnancy (Table I). There is a higher level of the P/S ratio in phosphatidyl choline at term than in earlier gestation. The P/S ratio in phosphatidyl choline is of diagnostic value for the maturity of the fetus in normal human pregnancy, which is the only test of amniotic fluid that is not affected by amniotic fluid volume. Lecithin concentration, the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio, creatinine, bilirubin, and nile blue sulfate-stained fetal squamous cells are affected by amniotic fluid volume. Our approach to this dilemma has been to assess the P/S ratio of lecithin present in amniotic fluid by gas chromatography. The data are preliminary, and it remains to be seen if this approach will be of more clinical
The
Department
The University Chicago, Illinois
Correction To
the
of of
Obstetrics
Table I. P/S ratios in lecithin
of human amniotic
human pregnancy
Gestational
17-18 25-26 33-34 36-37 Term
weeks
1
P/S
ratio
3.0 4.3 6.9 8.9 10.7
fluid
P. Zuspan, Eric J. Singh, Alfonso Mejia, and Gynecology
M.D. Ph.D. M.D.
Chicago 60637
of degree
Editors:
In regard to the paper which appeared in the June 1, 1974, issue of the JOURNAL (119: 306), of which I was coauthor, I should like to call to your attention, for the record, that I have been “awarded” an M.D. degree to which I am not entitled. I am actually a statistician with an A.R. degree. Esther C. Jackson Head Section of Applied Statistics Office of Biometry, C@FR National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Bethesda, Maryland 20014
Reply
to Ms. Jackson
Somewhere along the line in the writing and publishing of this article, an “M.D.” degree was added after Esther Jackson’s name. She does not wish to have it given so readily, so we shall withdraw it to keep the record straight. Her work and her writing are quite good and could easily mislead one to believe she was an M.D. It would be nice, though, to make her work for it. Maybe she will. The
Rokitansky-Kiister-Hauser
in normal
577
To
Editors
Syndrome
the Editors:
We read with great interest the communication Casthely, Maheswaran, and Levy in the June 15 (p. 571) and were surprised by the use of Hauser’s instead of Mayer’s in naming the syndrome. We want to diminish Professor Hauser’s merit, but we that this change does not contribute to the correct tification of the disease. On the contrary, it will more confusion than clarification.
from issue name don’t think idencause
121 4
Correspondence
of us who are responsive and responsible to the public would appreciate a soft-pedaling of guilt-by-association attacks upon the rat. Richard
P. Perkins,
Department of Obstetrics and University of Colorado School 4200 E. Ninth ALIE. Denzrer, Colorado 80220
M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Assistant Professor
Gynecology of Medicine
value in diabetic, drug-abuse, and high-risk pregnancies than the lecithin concentration, L/S ratio, and shake test. The only problem is that the P/S ratio measurements are time consuming, but we feel that this test in highrisk pregnancies is more appropriate. To our knowledge, conclusions similar to ours have not been reported before with the use of the P/S ratio itself. Frederick
REFERENCES
1. Kimball,
A. C., Kean, B. H., and Fuchs, F.: AM. J. 111:211, 1971. Kimball, A. C., Kean, B. H., and Fuchs, F.: AM. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 119: 208,. 1974. Frenkel, J. K., Dubey, J. P., and Miller, N. L.: Science 167: 893, 1970. Hutchison, W. M., Dunachie, J. F., Siim, J. C., and Work, K.: Br. Med. J. 1: 142, 1970. Frenkel, J. K.: J. Infect. Dis. 122: 553, 1970. Krogstad, D. J., et al.: Ann. Intern. Med. 77: 773, 1972. McCall’s, November, 1971. ORSTET.GYNECOL.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Palmitic acid/stearic and fetal maturity To
the
acid
ratio
in
lecithin
Editors:
We recently reported the levels of palmitic acid in lecithin of human amniotic fluid at different gestational weeks (Anr. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 119: 623, 1974). In this report we suggested the importance of palmitic and stearic acid (P/S) ratios in the lecithin of amniotic fluid. The P/S ratios correlated well with gestational age in normal human pregnancy (Table I). There is a higher level of the P/S ratio in phosphatidyl choline at term than in earlier gestation. The P/S ratio in phosphatidyl choline is of diagnostic value for the maturity of the fetus in normal human pregnancy, which is the only test of amniotic fluid that is not affected by amniotic fluid volume. Lecithin concentration, the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio, creatinine, bilirubin, and nile blue sulfate-stained fetal squamous cells are affected by amniotic fluid volume. Our approach to this dilemma has been to assess the P/S ratio of lecithin present in amniotic fluid by gas chromatography. The data are preliminary, and it remains to be seen if this approach will be of more clinical
The
Department
The University Chicago, Illinois
Correction To
the
of of
Obstetrics
Table I. P/S ratios in lecithin
of human amniotic
human pregnancy
Gestational
17-18 25-26 33-34 36-37 Term
weeks
1
P/S
ratio
3.0 4.3 6.9 8.9 10.7
fluid
P. Zuspan, Eric J. Singh, Alfonso Mejia, and Gynecology
M.D. Ph.D. M.D.
Chicago 60637
of degree
Editors:
In regard to the paper which appeared in the June 1, 1974, issue of the JOURNAL (119: 306), of which I was coauthor, I should like to call to your attention, for the record, that I have been “awarded” an M.D. degree to which I am not entitled. I am actually a statistician with an A.R. degree. Esther C. Jackson Head Section of Applied Statistics Office of Biometry, C@FR National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Bethesda, Maryland 20014
Reply
to Ms. Jackson
Somewhere along the line in the writing and publishing of this article, an “M.D.” degree was added after Esther Jackson’s name. She does not wish to have it given so readily, so we shall withdraw it to keep the record straight. Her work and her writing are quite good and could easily mislead one to believe she was an M.D. It would be nice, though, to make her work for it. Maybe she will. The
Rokitansky-Kiister-Hauser
in normal
577
To
Editors
Syndrome
the Editors:
We read with great interest the communication Casthely, Maheswaran, and Levy in the June 15 (p. 571) and were surprised by the use of Hauser’s instead of Mayer’s in naming the syndrome. We want to diminish Professor Hauser’s merit, but we that this change does not contribute to the correct tification of the disease. On the contrary, it will more confusion than clarification.
from issue name don’t think idencause