title: The Actim Partus test to predict pre-term birth in asymptomatic high-risk women.
abstract: The Actim Partus test has been shown to be a useful predictor of pre-term birth in symptomatic women, but limited research has been carried out in high-risk asymptomatic women. This is a pilot study to evaluate the use of this test as a direct comparator with the fetal fibronectin test. All asymptomatic high-risk women attending a pre-term surveillance clinic over a 9-month period, took an Actim Partus and fetal fibronectin test, between 23(+0)-24(+6) weeks' gestation. A total of 45 women were eligible. The positive and negative predictive values of the Actim Partus test for delivery at ≤ 37 weeks' gestation were 0% and 70%, respectively, compared with the fetal fibronectin test, with values of 67% and 79%, respectively. It was concluded that the Actim Partus test did not perform well as a predictor of pre-term birth in high-risk asymptomatic women.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Academic Centre, King's Health Partners, Kings College London, Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Division of Reproduction and Endocrinology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom. hasmeet.khambay@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khambay
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bolt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chandiramani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Greeff
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Filmer
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000032:analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005353:Fibronectins; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1