Procalcitonin in cervicovaginal secretion in pregnancies complicated by preterm labor--a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVES

Although the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) in clinical practice is increasing, no data are available on procalcitonin during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether procalcitonin was present in the cervicovaginal secretion of pregnant women and, if so, to evaluate the practical value of determining the concentration.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 53 patients in whom preterm labor (PTL) was expected and 31 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in this study. In the preterm labor group procalcitonin concentrations were analyzed with reference to laboratory indices suggestive of infection. The outcome of pregnancy was recorded in each case, with mention of the gestational age at delivery and of the time between admission to hospital and delivery.

RESULTS

Concentrations of procalcitonin in the preterm labor group were comparable to those in the healthy pregnant women. In the preterm labor group no significant correlations were observed between procalcitonin concentration and laboratory indices of infection. Nor were any correlations observed between procalcitonin concentration at the onset of preterm labor and gestational age either at the onset of labor or at delivery. However, procalcitonin concentrations at the onset of preterm labor were higher in patients who delivered prematurely than in those who delivered near term after treatment to delay labor. Procalcitonin concentrations in women whose babies were delivered within 3, 7 and 14 days of admission and in those whose babies were born at later times were comparable.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, procalcitonin was determined in the cervicovaginal secretion of pregnant women for the first time. However, no association was observed either between procalcitonin concentration at the onset of preterm labor and laboratory signs of infection or between procalcitonin concentration and time between admission to hospital and delivery. Procalcitonin determination would be unsatisfactory as a prognostic indicator of the length of time between admission to hospital and delivery.