title: The use of maternal C-reactive protein in the predicting of preterm labor and tocolytic therapy in preterm labor women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Levels of a number of some biomarkers have been associated with spontaneous preterm birth. This study was aimed to evaluate the relation between C-reactive protein (CRP) with preterm labor and response to tocolytic therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy five pregnant women with symptoms of preterm labor (cases) in compare with 75 term women (controls) were enrolled. Baseline data and CRP was recorded. So, cases were under treatment tocolysis with the use of magnesium sulfate, and then they were followed till delivery time to assess the response to the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen patients with symptoms of preterm labor did not response to the treatment and delivered prematurely and 59 women response to tocolytic treatment and delivered at term. The curve constructed cut-off value for >3.6 (AUC, 0.683; SE, 0.041; P < 0.0001) for CRP, indicating a significant relationship with preterm labor. Also, there was significant relationship between CRP level with response to the treatment in cut-off >1.8 (AUC, 0.738; SE, 0.076; P = 0.001) for CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal concentrations of CRP can be used as appropriate biomarker for predicting preterm labor and response to tocolytic therapy in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shahshahan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ousha
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rasouli
keywords: CRP: C-reactive protein; cytokines; magnesium sulfate; preterm birth; preterm labor; tocolytic