Maternal blood C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and temperature in preterm labor: a comparison with amniotic fluid white blood cell count.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic and prognostic performance of maternal blood C-reactive protein, white blood cell count (WBC), and temperature with that of amniotic fluid (AF) WBC in preterm labor.


METHODS
One hundred two women with preterm labor and intact membranes were studied. Maternal blood was collected to measure C-reactive protein concentration and WBC, and maternal temperature was also measured. Amniotic fluid obtained by amniocentesis was cultured and WBC determined. Receiver operating characteristic curve, logistic regression, and survival techniques were used for analysis.


RESULTS
Patients with acute histologic chorioamnionitis had significantly higher median C-reactive protein concentration, WBC, temperature, and AF WBC than patients without this lesion (P < .05). Receiver operating characteristic curve and survival analysis demonstrated that an elevated C-reactive protein, WBC, or AF WBC was strongly associated with the likelihood of histologic chorioamnionitis, shorter interval to delivery, clinical chorioamnionitis, and neonatal morbidity (P < .05 for each). Of all the tests, AF WBC was the best independent predictor of a positive AF culture (odds ratio [OR] 16.8), interval to delivery (hazard ratio 5.7), clinical chorioamnionitis (OR 15.2), neonatal sepsis (OR 16.8), and significant neonatal complications (OR 7.4), after other confounding variables were adjusted (P < .05 for each).


CONCLUSIONS
An elevated C-reactive protein, WBC, or AF WBC identified patients with intrauterine infection and adverse perinatal outcomes. Amniotic fluid WBC was a better independent predictor of these outcomes than C-reactive protein, WBC, or temperature.
Yoon
B H
BH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.
Yang
S H
SH
Jun
J K
JK
Park
K H
KH
Kim
C J
CJ
Romero
R
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016015:Logistic Models; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D015996:Survival Rate
D002097:C-Reactive Protein