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Background/aims: To determine predictive values of fetal fibronectin and phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (phIGFBP-1) in cervicovaginal secretions and ultrasonographic measurement of cervical length for delivery <35 weeks in patients with uterine contractions., Methods: Our study included 51 women between 24 and 35 weeks' gestation with uterine contractions and 90 controls. Cervicovaginal samples were analyzed for presence of fetal fibronectin and phIGFBP-1. Cervical length was measured by transvaginal sonography., Results: Preterm birth rate was 19.6% (10/51) in the study group. Negative predictive values of fetal fibronectin, phIGFBP-1 and ultrasonographic cervical length <20 mm, and <25 mm for delivery <35 weeks were 91.9, 92.3, 91.1, and 90.5%, respectively. Positive predictive values were 50, 58.3, 100 and 66.7%, respectively. When results of fetal fibronectin/phIGFBP-1 test and ultrasonographic cervical length <25 mm were combined, specificity and positive predictive values of each test for delivery within 7 days increased., Conclusion: Fetal fibronectin and phIGFBP-1 tests have approximately equivalent ability to predict delivery <35 weeks' gestation. An ultrasonographic cervical length measurement >20 mm or a negative fetal fibronectin/phIGFBP-1 test obtained from patients with uterine contractions at 24-35 weeks' gestation may avoid overdiagnosis., (2007 S. Karger AG, Basel)

This study was performed on 38 preeclamptic women, including 26 severely preeclamptic and eclamptic cases, as well as 50 normotensive pregnant controls. Twenty cases in the preeclamptic group and 34 cases in the control group were in labor. Serum nitric oxide levels were measured as total nitrites after reduction of nitrates to nitrites. Among the control subjects, nitric oxide levels were significantly lower in the cases in labor when compared to those not in labor (p < 0.05), but glutathione levels were not significantly different (p >0.05). Among the preeclamptic patients, although nitric oxide levels were not significantly different between the cases in and not in labor (p > 0.05), glutathione levels were significantly higher in the latter group (p < 0.05). Thus, in preeclamptic patients there might be a compensatory increase in nitric oxide production during labor in order to maintain the systemic circulation. Glutathione levels might also be increased to compensate for the marked oxidative stress., (Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Fifty adult female rats were randomly divided into five groups. Before the standard surgical procedure which consisted of creating a lesion with electrocautery over the uterus, leuprolide acetate (LA) together with its diluent, the diluent alone and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) were injected to the third, fourth, and fifth groups, respectively. Ringer's lactate (RL) solution was applied intraperitoneally to the second group at the end of the surgery. Group I received no medication. Relaparotomy was performed 3 weeks later to evaluate the adhesions. The mean adhesion scores were (mean +/- SD) 2.6 +/- 0.7, 1.4 +/- 0.8, 0.9 +/- 0.6, 2.3 +/- 0.8, and 0.8 +/- 0.6 in groups I, II, III, IV, and V, respectively. The postsurgical adhesions were significantly less in the groups treated with RL, LA, and MPA.