title: Amniotic fluid adhesion molecules during parturition at term.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During term parturition a constant elevation of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) as well as increases of endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule (ELAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) in the lower uterine segment and of ICAM-1 in fetal membranes were observed. We examined ELAM-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 during normal term parturition to find out whether amniotic fluid adhesion molecules change accordingly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Amniotic fluid specimens of 35 patients undergoing cesarean section at term with various stages of cervical dilatation (<2 cm, n=11; 2-<4 cm, n=10; 4-6 cm, n=6; >6 cm, n=8) and different durations of labor (0 h, n=11; >0 h, n=24) were examined for ELAM-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 by enzyme immunoassay. For statistical analysis one-way ANOVA (cervical dilatation) and unpaired t-test (duration of labor) were used (P<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither ELAM-1 nor VCAM-1 correlated with cervical dilatation or with the duration of labor. ICAM-1 showed a tendency to decline with the last phase of cervical dilatation (P=0.06) and a significant decline with labor (P=0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to adhesion molecules in the lower uterine segment amniotic fluid adhesion molecules ELAM-1 and VCAM-1 do not rise significantly during parturition. The decline of ICAM-1 may be due to a transfer to other compartments (i.e., lower uterine segment or retroplacental blood) thereby contributing to labor and cervical dilatation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, RWTH Aachen, Germany. bkemp@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: von Rango
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brehme
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rath
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007747:Labor Stage, First / Q000276:immunology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047929:Term Birth; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019040:E-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1