title: Ritodrine hydrochloride: a betamimetic agent for use in preterm labor. II. Evidence of efficacy.
abstract: In a multicenter series of randomized prospective double-blind controlled studies, ritodrine hydrochloride was compared with either ethanol or placebo in treatment of idiopathic preterm labor. When compared with controls, there was, among offspring of ritodrine-treated mothers, a significantly reduced incidence of neonatal death and respiratory distress syndrome (P less than .05 in both comparisons) and a significantly higher proportion of infants achieving 36 weeks' gestation (P less than .05) or birth weight greater than 2500 g (P less than .05). There was also a significant improvement in gestational age at delivery (P less than .05) and in the number of days gained in utero (P less than .001) among ritodrine-treated patients as compared with controls. These results, coupled with a finding of generally acceptable side effects, have contributed to ritodrine's becoming the first drug approved for the treatment of preterm labor in the United States.
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000517:prevention & control; D012312:Ritodrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011412:Propanolamines; D012312:Ritodrine