Urocortin in second trimester amniotic fluid: its role as predictor of preterm labor.
BACKGROUND
The existence of a "placental clock" which determines the duration of gestation has been previously proposed. It is related to placental CRH secretion and is active from an early phase in human pregnancy. Urocortin is a specific ligand for the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor expressed by human trophoblast and fetal membranes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether urocortin concentrations in the early second trimester amniotic fluid might serve to predict preterm delivery.


METHODS
The urocortin concentrations in early second trimester amniotic fluid were measured in 41 pregnancies with term delivery and in 41 pregnancies with preterm delivery by using an immunoradiometric assay. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Mean amniotic fluid urocortin concentrations in women with preterm labor were 1.55+/-0.63 ng/mL while those in women with term labor were 1.6+/-0.49 ng/mL (p: NS). No statistical significant results were found when comparing amniotic fluid urocortin concentrations in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes leading to preterm labor (n=19) to women with term delivery without premature rupture of membranes.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that urocortin concentrations in the amniotic fluid of genetic amniocentesis are not predictive of preterm labor and birth.
Iavazzo
C
C
2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, University of Athens, Athens 11528, Greece. christosiavazzo@hotmail.com
Tassis
K
K
Gourgiotis
D
D
Boutsikou
M
M
Baka
S
S
Hassiakos
D
D
Vogiatzi
C
C
Florentin-Arar
L
L
Malamitsi-Puchner
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D054832:Urocortins / Q000378:metabolism*
D054832:Urocortins