Multiple-marker screening in human immunodeficiency virus-positive pregnant women: Screen positivity rates with the triple and quad screens

OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to determine the screen-positive rates of multiple-marker screening tests in pregnant women who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at our institution for open neural tube defects and aneuploidy, for both triple (α-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG], unconjugated estriol) and quad (α-fetoprotein, hCG, unconjugated estriol, inhibin A) screens, and to compare these rates with a matched control group. STUDY DESIGN: A 1:1 matched case-control study was performed comparing multiple marker screening test results in 34 HIV-positive women with age- and race-matched HIV-negative controls. Individual serum markers and screen positive rates for both the triple and quad screens were compared among the cases and controls. RESULTS: In each group, there were 19 women with triple screens and 15 with quad screens. Serum hCG multiples of the median were significantly higher in the HIV-positive compared with the HIV-negative women (P =.033). There was no difference in screen positive rates between the cases and controls using the triple screen, but there was a significantly higher overall screen positive rate in the HIV-positive group when the quad screen was used (33% vs 7%, P =.046). CONCLUSION: There is a significantly higher rate of overall quad screen positivity on multiple-marker screening among HIV-positive women compared with a matched control group. ũ 2003, Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.