Frequency of choroid plexus cysts by race/ethnicity and gender

GENDER ALAN BOLNICK, ADAM BORGIDA, CHRISTINE MAFFEO, CAROLYN ZELOP, ELISA GIANFERRARI, JAMES EGAN, University of Connecticut, OB/GYN, Farmington, CT OBJECTIVE: To determine the variation in the frequency of choroid plexus cysts (CPC) by race/ethnicity and gender. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective analysis at our tertiary community teaching hospital matching our ultrasound and delivery databases from January 1996 through June 2003.We reviewed all initial sonograms from 14 to 23 weeks’ gestation in singleton pregnancies. Race and ethnicity were provided by mothers on admission for delivery and gender was recorded upon delivery. Descriptive statistics and chi-square were performed. RESULTS: There were 8217 ultrasounds and deliveries that met study criteria. There were 4643 (57%) Caucasian, 2089 (25%) African-American, 1262 (15%) Hispanic, and 223 (3%) Asian subjects. There were 232 (2.8%) CPC detected. The frequency of CPC by race/ethnicity varied significantly (P < .0001). See Table. CPC did not vary significantly by gender (3.1% female, 2.6% male; P = .3). CONCLUSION: A previous study of 131 fetuses with CPC indicated no association with race (Landy, JUM 1999). Our large, population-based study indicates that the incidence of CPC varies significantly by race but not gender. This information should be helpful in counseling patients about the occurrence of CPC. Further information is needed to understand the association between CPC, race/ethnicity, and aneuploidy.