GAUGING THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF NITROGLYCERINE USED TRANSDERMALLY AS A TOCOLYTIC AGENT IN FEMALES WITH PRETERM LABOR.

Background: Preterm birth has been a common concern with increasing incidence globally and is a continuous challenge for Obstetricians. Preterm birth is seen to be complicating nearly 8-10% of the birth rate. The etiology of preterm birth is still unknown and the associated burden is quite high. Aim: To assess the safety and efficacy of Nitroglycerine used transdermally as a tocolytic agent in females with preterm labor. Methods: The present prospective clinical study assessed 200 females having preterm labor. These 200 females were divided into two groups with 100 subjects each which were randomly divided into bed rest alone or the Nitroglycerine patch group. The study was done for 6 months period. Results: Pregnancy was prolonged by <48 hours in 6% (n=6) subjects, by 48-72 hours in 8% (n=8) subjects, 73-96 hours in 22% (n=22) subjects, and by ≥7 days in 56% (n=56) study subjects. Tocolysis induced in 100 Group I subject was successful in 94% (n=94) subjects and was unsuccessful in 6% (n=6) study subjects. The resuscitation needs and Apgar scores of <7 at 5 minutes were significantly lesser in Group I with p=0.02 for both. The number of Low-birth-weight subjects with a weight of =1.8 kg and 1.9-2.1 kg was significantly lesser in group I with 10 and 14 subjects compared to Group II subjects where it was 16 and 34 subjects. Conclusion: The present study concludes that Nitroglycerine used transdermally in females with preterm labor has equal efficacy as other commonly used tocolytic agents. Nitroglycerine is a drug of choice for the acute relaxation of the uterus in subjects with preterm labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]