Plasma inflammatory and immune proteins as predictors of intra-amniotic infection and spontaneous preterm delivery in women with preterm labor: a retrospective study

Table 2 Characteristics of the study population according to the occurrence of delivery within 48 h

	Spontaneous preterm delivery after sampling		P-value
	≤48 h (n = 26)	> 48 h (n = 147)	P-value
Maternal age (years)	33.0 ± 4.0	31.3 ± 4.0	0.047
Nulliparity	35% (9)	66% (97)	0.003
Gestational age at sampling (weeks)	30.7 ± 2.6	30.0 ± 2.7	0.195
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)	30.7 ± 2.5	36.1 ± 4.0	< 0.001
Serum C-reactive protein (mg/L)	14.3 ± 15.2	8.2 ± 13.4	0.003
Cervical length on ultrasonography (mm)	13.8 ± 10.9	26.7 ± 11.1	< 0.001
Plasma C3a (μg/mL)	12.9 ± 7.9	12.9 ± 7.7	0.863
Plasma C5a (ng/mL)	41.0 ± 14.0	45.6 ± 12.5	0.237
Plasma interleukin-6 (pg/mL)	11.7 ± 12.0	4.0 ± 4.2	< 0.001
Plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 (ng/mL)	251.0 ± 253.9	207.6 ± 175.9	0.858
Use of tocolytic agents	89% (23)	95% (139)	0.242
Use of antibiotics	27% (7)	31% (45)	0.706
Use of antenatal corticosteroids	89% (23)	76% (112)	0.165
Clinical chorioamnionitis	3.8% (1)	0% (0)	0.017
Histological chorioamnionitis^a	50% (13/26)	35% (26/75)	0.169
Positive amniotic fluid cultures	19% (5)	7.5% (11)	0.057
Amniotic fluid interleukin-6 (ng/mL)	11.7 ± 21.4	2.8 ± 8.9	< 0.001

Data are given as mean ± standard deviation or % (n/N)
^aData for the histologic evaluation of the placenta were only available for 101 of the 173 women because delivery took place at another institution in 5 cases, and histologic evaluation of the placenta was not performed in 67 cases because of our institutional policy that only the placentas from preterm deliveries are sent for histopathologic examination

ISSN: 1471-2393