High sialidase levels increase preterm birth risk among women who are bacterial vaginosis-positive in early gestation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess whether vaginal sialidases level in early pregnancy is associated with preterm birth among women who are bacterial vaginosis-positive.


METHODS
Of the 1806 women who were enrolled at < 20 weeks of gestation, 800 of the women were bacterial vaginosis-positive (Nugent score, 7-10); 707 of the women had birth outcome data; 109 of the women who were bacterial vaginosis-positive had an adverse preterm outcome, which included 53 spontaneous preterm births (19 births were early at 20-34 weeks, and 34 births were late at 34-37 weeks), and 14 of the women had late miscarriages (12-20 weeks). Sialidase levels were compared with 352 control subjects (term normal birthweight infants).


RESULTS
Sialidase levels at ≥ 5, ≥ 10, and ≥ 14 nmol (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.41; OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.25-3.64; OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.64-6.10, respectively) was associated significantly with all adverse preterm outcomes. The ≥ 10 nmol and ≥ 14 nmol cut-points were associated strongly with early spontaneous preterm births (OR, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.42-10.10 and OR, 5.36; 95% CI, 1.77-16.23, respectively) and late miscarriages (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.61-14.65; OR, 8.33; 95% CI, 2.57-26.9, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated sialidase level that is measured at 12 weeks of gestation is associated strongly with early spontaneous preterm births and late miscarriage.
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
Sabina
S
Cauci
Jennifer Flatow
JF
Culhane
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk; D014621:Vagina / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
D009439:Neuraminidase