THE USE OF THE AMNIOTIC FLUID LECITH1N/SPHINGOMYELIN (L/S) RATIO, CREATININE CONCENTRATION AND NILE BLUE SULPHATE TESTS, INDIVIDUALLY AND IN COMBINATION, IN THE ASSESSMENT OF FETAL LUNG MATURITY

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Abstract
The lecithin-sphingomyelin (LS) ratio is a good, but not absolute, test of fetal lung maturity. A total of 373 infants was delivered within 72 hours of amniotic fluid collection for assessment of the L/S ratio. Five of 43 infants (11-6 per cent) with an L/S ratio of 2-2 or less developed the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), whereas only one of 320 infants (0-31 per cent) with a higher L/S ratio developed RDS. The risk of RDS could be further defined by using the creatinine concentration (critical value 19 mg/1) and the Nile blue sulphate test (critical value 4 per cent) in combination with the L/S ratio. All three tests were performed in 320 pregnancies and in each instance delivery took place within 72 hours. When all three test results were low, 3 of 5 infants (60 per cent) developed RDS, whereas when all three results were high, none of 175 infants developed RDS. When one or two results were low, 2 of 140 infants (1-4 per cent) developed RDS.

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