Herzog S, Cunze T, Osmers R, Kuhn W
Universitäts-Frauenklinik Göttingen.
Gynakol Geburtshilfliche Rundsch. 1995;35 Suppl 1:73-9. doi: 10.1159/000272568.
The aim of the present study was to compare different regimes of intravenous fenoterol tocolysis concerning their side effects.
A total of 59 patients with intravenous tocolysis due to preterm labor has been studied. They were chronologically alternating and thus randomly stratified into three groups: (a) continuous i.v.-tocolysis and oral application of magnesium sulfate (b) continuous i.v-tocolysis and i.v.-application of magnesium sulfate (c) pulsatile i.v.-application of fenoterol (bolus tocolysis) and oral application of magnesium sulfate. For all groups, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, need for beta-blockers, K+, water balance over 24 hours as well as different subjective side effects were quantified.
The side effects were found to be significantly less among patients treated with bolus tocolysis and they were also found to be slightly less in continuous tocolysis with i.v.- application of magnesium compared to continuous tocolysis with oral Mg2+ substitution; however, the difference between the two groups treated with continuous tocolysis was not significant.
The present results suggest that bolus tocolysis shows significantly less side effects compared to the continuous tocolysis and thus it should be favored in clinical practise.
