title: Premature labor and coincident acute appendicitis not resolved by betamimetic but surgical treatment.
abstract: Three cases--one of them fatal--of betamimetic "resistant" premature labor with coincident acute appendicitis are presented. These case histories support the opinion held by the authors that in the recent era of widespread use of betamimetics, during the second and third trimester, appendicitis can be concealed by increased uterine contractility which could be secondary to the intra-abdominal inflammatory process or triggered by genuine premature motor activity of the myometrium. We consider that the obstetrician should revise his decision regarding betamimetic treatment on the basis of continuous observation. There is a clinical message in these cases which should be incorporated into the decision-making process: if a patient presents herself with premature labor, betamimetics should not be given before the diagnosis has been established.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007556:Isoxsuprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D007556:Isoxsuprine