Maternal urine hyperglycosylated hCG in pregnancies with Down syndrome

Stored maternal urine samples were used to determine the distribution of hy perglycosylated human chorionic gonadotrophin (H-hCG) levels in pregnancies with Down syndrome. A total of 349 samples from singleton pregnancies, inc luding 45 with Down syndrome, were tested at 10-19 weeks' gestation. Urinar y concentration was allowed for by expressing H-hCG in ng per mmol creatini ne. The median level in Down syndrome was 3.63 multiples of the gestation-s pecific median in unaffected pregnancies (p<0.0001, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, two-tail). However, creatinine levels were relatively low in cases and cre atinine did not fully correct for concentration. When this bias was allowed for. the median level was 3.34 multiples of the normal median (MoM). The H -hCG elevation in affected pregnancies was more marked at 14 weeks' gestati on or later: a median of 4.64 MoM and allowing for creatinine bias 4.46 MoM . Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.