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P64The newly calculated equations of nuchal skinfold thickness measurement in mid‐trimester
Author(s) -
Won H. S.,
Kim M. K.,
Lee P. R.,
Lee I. S.,
Kim A.,
Nam J. H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2000.00004-1-64.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breech presentation , gestational age , ultrasound , vertex (graph theory) , linear regression , fetus , gestation , regression analysis , correlation , obstetrics , pregnancy , statistics , mathematics , graph , combinatorics , geometry , radiology , genetics , biology
Background Use of nuchal skinfold thickness (NT) measurement as an ultrasound marker for Down syndrome has been limited due to a high false positive rate. We suggested that some variables, which influence on NT have been presented. The purpose of our study was to identify the variables that have effects on measured values of NT, and to make a regression equation based on those variables. Method The data on gestational age (GA), cephalic index (CI), presentation (Pr; vertex or breech) and the presence or absence of nuchal cord (NC) were collected prospectively on 548 normal singleton fetuses between 16 and 24 weeks' gestation. We calculated independent correlation of those variables with NT by multiple regression analysis and made a regression equation based on GA, CI, Pr, and NC. Results GA has positive correlation and CI has negative correlation with NT significantly. The nuchal skinfold was thicker among fetuses with breech presentation rather than those of vertex presentation and increased in the presence of nuchal cord. The all four variables (GA, CI, Pr, and NC) were independent factors to NT by multiple regression analysis. We calculated the expected NT through these observations; for fetuses presenting vertex, NT = 5.608 + 0.243GA − 0.066CI + NC* and for breech, NT = 2.803 + 0.392GA − 0.066CI + NC* (*if no NC, NC* equals −0.785 and zero for the other). Conclusion This is the first report, which takes GA, CI, Pr and NC for correlation factors with NT as a whole. These equations may be considered as a screening method for the detection of aneuploidies.