PREDICTIVE VALUE OF FETAL SERUM BETA(2)-MICROGLOBULIN FOR NEONATAL RENAL-FUNCTION

When fetal urinary-tract malformations (UTM) are discovered, managemen t is based on the prediction of postnatal renal function, currently ma de by fetal urinary biochemistry and sonography, Serum beta(2)-microgl obulin has been used postnatally to estimate renal function and does n ot cross the placenta. We investigated the relation between fetal seru m beta(2)-microglobulin and renal function by comparing 64 unaffected fetuses and 15 fetuses with UTM. A beta(2)-microglobulin above a 5.6 m g/L cut-off gave cross-validated sensitivity of 88.9%, specificity of 98.6%, a positive predictive value of 88.9%, and a negative predictive value of 97.1% for our cohort study.