title: Time length of negativization of hCG serum values after either surgical or medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the time length until the human chorionic gonadotropin titer became negative after medical or surgical treatment of ectopic pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized study. PARTECIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: We compared time to resolution in 30 cases of tubal pregnancies successfully treated, 15 underwent laparoscopic linear salpingostomy (group 1) and 15 medical treatment with single-ose methotrexate (group 2). The patients of both groups had no meaningful differences of age, gestational age and human chorionic gonadotropin mean values.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the follow-up human chorionic gonadotropin serum values were obtained every two days until the titer was negative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time to resolution was 33.6 +/- 6.6 days in group 1, 31.5 +/- 7.8 in group 2 with no statistically meaningful differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data, comparable with results obtained by laparoscopic treatment, suggest that human chorionic gonadotropin value becomes negative independently of type of treatment and residual trophoblast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Colacurci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Franciscis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zarcone
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012489:Salpingostomy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D008727:Methotrexate