title: Maternal plasma and placental immunoreactive corticotrophin-releasing factor concentrations in infection-associated term and pre-term delivery.
abstract: The present study aimed to investigate whether microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity affects maternal plasma or placental immunoreactive corticotrophin releasing factor (ir-CRF) concentrations in pregnant women with pre-term or term labour. A cross-sectional study was conducted collecting blood samples in: (1) women with pre-term labour and intact membranes (25-36 weeks), with or without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (subdivided into three groups: 1A, no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, delivery at term, n = 54; group 1B, delivery < 48 h, no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 10; group 1C, delivery < 48 h, microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 8); (2) women at term, not in labour and without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (n = 15); (3) women in spontaneous active labour at term without (A) (n = 55) or with (B) (n = 16) microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity; and (4) healthy women not in labour at 25-36 weeks of gestation (n = 25). Specimens of trophoblast tissue were collected from pregnant women with pre-term labour (no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 6; microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 4) or delivering at term (no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 8; microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, n = 4). A specific radioimmunoassay on acidic extracts of plasma or placental specimens was used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguzzoli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Genazzani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000382:microbiology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone