Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(2):87-92
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008000200007
PURPOSE: to test a therapeutic approach using atosiban for tocolysis, evaluating its safety and maternal and fetal side effects. METHODS: prospective study with 80 pregnant women with preterm labor admitted for tocolysis. Inclusion criteria: singleton pregnancy, regular uterine activity, cervical dilatation between 1 to 3 cm, cervical enfacement greater than 50%, 23 to 33 weeks and six days of gestational age, intact membranes, amniotic fluid index between 5 and 25, no maternal, fetal or placental diseases, no fetal growth restriction, no cervical incompetence, no fever. Exclusion criteria: chorioamnionitis or fever during tocolysis. Atosiban group: women received 6.75 mg atosiban iv in bolus, 300 mcg/min for three hours, then 100 mcg/min for three hours and thirty minutes. If uterine activity persisted, it was maintained iv infusion of 100 mcg/min for 12.5 hand that so for as long as 45 hours. Control group: women received terbutaline (five ampoules, 500 mL crystalloid solution) iv infusion, 20 mL/h. If uterine activity persisted, infusion velocity was raised (20 mL/h) until uterine contractions were absent. The dose was maintained for 24 hours. RESULTS: gestational age at birth was 29 weeks and five days to 40 weeks and six days. In atosiban group, the proportion of women who had not delivered at 48 hours was 97.5%, mean interval between tocolysis and birth of 28.2 days. In control group, birth occurred before 48 hours in 22.5% of the cases; mean interval between tocolysis and birth of 5.3 days. Maternal side effects were observed in 27.5% of cases of the atosiban group, none with tachycardia, dyspnea or tachypnea. In the control group, 75% of the cases referred palpitations, tachycardia, tachypnea or headache (drug infusion was interrupted in four cases). Fetal tachycardia was observed in 22.5% of the cases (n=9). No early neonatal death was observed. CONCLUSIONS: the therapeutic approach used showed to be effective for tocolysis, with low incidence of maternal, fetal and neonatal side effects.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(11):664-670
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006001100006
PURPOSE: to assess the role of ultrasonographic cervical length in predicting premature labor in patients presenting persistent uterine contractions and intact membranes. METHODS: a prospective observational cohort study was performed in 45 women admitted to our hospital between 22 and 34 weeks of gestation. Transvaginal sonographic evaluation of the cervix was performed once in the women who had completed a course of parenteral tocolysis. The cervical length was obtained according to criteria reported previously. Cervical sonographic findings were not used in diagnosis and management. Outcome variable was the occurrence of preterm delivery (<37 weeks). Statistical analysis consisted of univariate method with the purpose of determining the significant contribution of cervical length to the prediction of preterm delivery. The adopted significance level was 5% (p<0,05) and the confidence interval was 95% (95% CI). RESULTS: the incidence of preterm delivery was 51.11% (23/45). Cervical length was significantly associated with the outcome (p<0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a cervical length of 20 mm was the best cutoff in predicting preterm delivery (sensitivity 86.9%; specificity 81.8%; positive predictive value 83.3%; negative predictive value 85.7%). The calculated area under the curve was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.79-0.97; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: among women with persistent uterine contractions and intact membranes treated for preterm labor, a cervical length of less than 20 mm demonstrated a high likelihood of preterm birth. Transvaginal ultrasound may improve the accuracy of diagnosis in symptomatic women.