[Treatment of preterm labor with ritodrine].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the treatment of preterm labor with the beta-adrenergic agonist ritodrine.


METHODS
126 women with preterm labor were randomly assigned to intravenous infusion of ritodrine or magnesium sulfate treatment. Using minimal effective dosage for inhibition of uterine activity, terminating therapy on time, and repeating the i.v. infusion if contraction restarted were the strategy for treatment.


RESULTS
Ritodrine was significantly more effective both in the treating period for suppression of contraction (2.33 +/- 0.63 hr for initiation of inhibiting uterine activity, 9.38 +/- 3.88 days of accumulative treating period) and prolongation of gestation (4.81 +/- 2.83 wks) than that of the magnesium sulfate (P < 0.001, 0.005 and 0.01 respectively), and had a term labor of 73.44%. There was no serious cardiac and pulmonary complications in the ritodrine group.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study has shown that ritodrine as a tocolytic agent is highly effective for the management of preterm labor and relative safe for mother and fetus.
Zhu
B
B
Guangzhou First People's Hospital.
Fu
Y
Y
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012312:Ritodrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D015149:Tocolytic Agents; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D012312:Ritodrine