SIMILARITY OF INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETICS AND NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETICS LEVELS OF BETA-HCG AND UNCONJUGATED ESTRIOL WITH CONTROLS - NO NEED TO ADJUST AS WITH ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the same systematic alteration of serum val ues for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in diabetic patients is also seen for beta-hCG and unconjugated estriol (uE3). METHODS: Serum AFP, beta-hCG, and uE3 results were obtained in 18,639 patients for whom complete fo llow-up information was obtained. Patients were divided euglycemic (n = 18,088), insulin-requiring diabetics (n = 104), and non-insulin-requ iring diabetics (n = 437), as well as by rare. RESULTS: The 20% adjust ment used for AFP appropriately corrects serum values. No such systema tic variation is seen for either beta-hCG or uE3 by glycemic status of race. CONCLUSION: No adjustment for beta-hCG or uE3 is necessary for diabetes for biochemical screening programs.