Blood Sciences Department

Luton & Dunstable University Hospital

Lewsey Road

LUTON

Bedfordshire

LU4 0DZ

 

Tel:  01582 497991

Fax:  01582 497992

 

e-mail: [log in to unmask]

 

 

Hi Alison,

 

I’ve done quite a lot of work surrounding Alere, FFn and Parto/AmniSure.  I’ll try and dig it out for you.

 

Basildon are running a full blown study regarding time to delivery (TTD) but it’s got at least another year until it’s complete; this compares CL, FFn, PartoSure and ActinPartus.  At Queens we currently use FFn but are considering using PartoSure to screen for any negative results prior to using the FFn assay.  The Clinicians want to keep FFn in case we later want to use the quantitative stratification in accordance with NICE. 

 

Southend are looking into cervical length and FFn to accurately predict TTD.

 

At Queens use Alere ActinPROM but have a high false positive rate.  This is probably due to a slack screening policy, as most women are getting tested.  We may be looking to move to AmniSure and will run a comparison study in the coming months.

 

Kind regards,

 

Clare Bailey Msc MIBMS | Lead Biomedical Scientist for POCT

Department of Pathology | Cancer and Clinical Support

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

 

M: 07432734635

T:  0208 970 8472 | Ext 8472 King George UHT

T:  01708 435000| Ext 3643 Queens UHT

E:  [log in to unmask]

 

 

 

HI Alison,

 

I have heard on the grapevine (so take this with a pinch of salt!)that some obstetricians are keen to keep the ffn and use the PROM as well  as a pre-screening test to determine whether to do the FFN mainly owing the significant price difference between the tests.  I’m not sure what the PROM test has a good sensitivity/specificity for (rule in or rule out) but the theory I had come across as do the PROM as a first point of call to determine whether a FFN was needed (I think if the PROM was negative then there is no need for the FFN as the sensitivity of the PROM is good enough).  I have absolutely no experience whatsoever with the PROM test and we were a reasonably late adopter of the FFN test so this is definitely just hearsay!  Our maternity department are keen to stay with the FFN as it is NICE guidance and that is what other trusts are using as well.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Hi Alison,

 

We are in the same boat.

Our clinicians are favouring the Amnisure/Partosure products but I am more inclined to look at the machine read options first.

I haven’t found any other assays with a meter so we are commencing a trial of the Alere Actim PROM shortly.

I have also encountered a reluctance of clinicians to move away from fFN whilst this is the NICE recommended product.

 

Regards

Kerry

 

Dr Kerry Whiting

POCT Specialty Lead

Surrey Pathology Services

 

 

 

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