Tocolysis with nifedipine or beta-adrenergic agonists: a meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the relative efficacy of nifedipine and beta-agonists for tocolysis.


METHODS
The literature was searched in the following databases: MEDLINE 1965-1998, Embase 1988-1998, Current Contents 1997-1998, and the Cochrane Database for 1998. We also sought unpublished trials and abstracts submitted to major international congresses. Search terms were: "tocolysis," "nifedipine," "calcium channel blocker," "ritodrine," "terbutaline," and "salbutamol."


METHODS
Randomized controlled trials comparing tocolysis with nifedipine and beta-adrenergic agonists during preterm labor were reviewed. In cases with postrandomization exclusions, authors were contacted to obtain intent-to-treat results and to avoid analytical bias. We identified 11 published and two unpublished randomized trials.


RESULTS
Data were extracted by two reviewers and analyzed by a blinded biostatistician with RevMan 3.1 software from the Cochrane Collaboration. We analyzed nine relevant randomized controlled trials that included 679 patients. Meta-analysis showed that nifedipine was more effective than the beta-agonists in delaying delivery at least 48 hours [odds ratio (OR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03, 2.24], or over 34 weeks (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.11, 3.15). The agents did not differ as to the incidence of deliveries after 37 weeks (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.85, 1.96) or the neonatal mortality rate (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.63, 3.65). Treatment with nifedipine was interrupted significantly less often because of side effects (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.05, 0.29) and led to better neonatal outcomes (fewer infants with respiratory distress syndrome: OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37, 0.89) or transferred to neonatal intensive care units (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43, 0.97).


CONCLUSIONS
With respect to neonatal outcome, nifedipine appears to be more effective than beta-agonists for tocolysis and should be considered for use as a first-line tocolytic agent.
Tsatsaris
V
V
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, 184 rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine, 75012 Paris, France.
Papatsonis
D
D
Goffinet
F
F
Dekker
G
G
Carbonne
B
B
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015145:Tocolysis; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D015149:Tocolytic Agents; D009543:Nifedipine