PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D L Hay

Publications and source records attributed to D L Hay.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Oncofoetal antigens in cancer of the cervix and ovary.

The incidence of oncofoetal antigens has been reported to be increased in patients with gynaecological cancers. In this study the incidence of CEA, AFP, and hCG (beta subunit) were studied in patients with adenocarcinoma of the ovary, adenocarcinoma of the cervix, and squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix. Using a low cut-off point (CEA 2.5 microgram/l, AFP 5 microgram/l, and hCG 3 i.u./l) there is an unacceptably high proportion of control patients having one or more positive tests (42-54%) compared to cancer-bearing patients (67%). The specificity of the tests can be increased to over 95% by increasing the cut-off point to CEA 10 microgram/l, AFP 10 microgram/l, and hCG 10 i.u./l). Although this reduces the sensitivity considerably, the incidence of false positives in the control population is reduced to nil in non-cancer patients and to 2% in cancer patients tested when free of tumour, compared to 17% of patients with cancer of the ovary, 33% with adenocarcinoma of the cervix, and 6% with squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix. Patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix were clearly distinguishable from those with squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix by these tests. There was also a significant correlation between AFP and hCG levels in adenocarcinoma of the cervix (r = 0.53, P less than 0.05).

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

Improved diagnosis of neural tube defects: measurement of concanavalin A-reactive variants of AFP in amniotic fluid.

The proportion of alphafetoprotein (AFP) not reacting with Concanavalin A(Con A) was determined by crossed line affinity immunoelectrophoresis (CLAIE) in amniotic fluid obtained from 16 pregnancies with open neural tube defects and other fetal abnormalities, and 25 pregnancies with normal outcome. The percentage of Con A non-reactive AFP was significantly lower in the presence of open neural tube defects (less than 3.9%, n = 13) compared with that in normal pregnancy (range 6.4-25.2%, n = 25). In this retrospective analysis, 2 pregnancies affected by open neural tube defect escaped diagnosis on the basis of an ambiguous total AFP estimation (+2SD less than x less than +5SD) in the amniotic fluid. These observations suggest that the elimination of false diagnose based on total AFP levels may be possible, if supplementary analysis by CLAIE is performed.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1981

Two-hour assay for lutropin during ovulation.

A rapid lutropin assay with a 2-h incubation time and a second antibody/polyethylene glycol separation step is presented. Assay time is shortened by incubating at 37 degrees C and using relatively high concentrations of antibody and radioligand. The interval required for the antigen/antibody reaction varies directly with lutropin concentration, from 1 h for ovulation values to 8 h for low values. After a 2-h incubation, low concentrations have reached 80% of their equilibrium concentration. Separation of the bound fraction by use of combined second antibody/polyethylene glycol (50 g/L) gave one-third the nonspecific binding and as rapid a separation as with polyethylene glycol (180 g/L) alone. Optimal conditions for separating the immune complex were established, and separation was found to be independent of protein concentrations in urine or serum. This tested assay can detect increasing and ovulatory lutropin concentrations in urine or serum, but with some sacrifice in sensitivity.

Female↗
PubMed1979

The relation between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and fetomaternal haemorrhage.

Spontaneous fetomaternal haemorrhage at 14 to 20 weeks gestation resulted in raised serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in 13 of 150 patients attending a genetic counselling clinic. In all 13 patients, the placenta was anterior or fundal in position. By allowing for a rise in serum AFP levels of 4 microgram/l for each fetal cell seen in 30 high power fields (Kleihauer test), a 62.5 per cent reduction in the number of patients selected for amniocentesis because of raised serum AFP levels would have been achieved. The occurrence of fetomaternal haemorrhages at the time of amniocentesis can be detected by either the Kleihauer technique or the measurement of maternal serum AFP levels.

Adult↗