Journal of Neonatal Biology

Kenneth E Blick

Publications

• Research Article
  Assessment of Fetal Lung Maturity by Lamellar Body Count (LBC) in Comparison to the Fluorescence Polarization TDx FLM-II and L/S Ratio Methods
  Author(s): Christopher Williams, Pascale Akl and Kenneth E BlickChristopher Williams, Pascale Akl and Kenneth E Blick
  
  Respiratory distress syndrome causes morbidity and mortality of the newborn and is most often associated with premature birth. Laboratory testing can be helpful in establishing fetal lung maturity (FLM) status in situations when premature delivery may be necessary. In addition, the rising incidence of late-preterm births at >34 and <38 weeks gestation and the associated increases in cost of preterm infant care indicate a need for better preterm delivery FLM assessment. Over the years, the laboratory's primary amniotic fluid FLM screening method included lung surfactant 1) using the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S ratio) by thin layer chromatography and 2) the TDx FLM-II method, the latter method being automated and hence available in a timely manner on a 24/7 basis. The lamellar body count (LBC) on amniotic fluid has been shown in studies to be an alternative for FLM assessmen.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2167-0897.1000256

  Abstract PDF