title: Correlation of cervical length, fetal fibronectin, phIGFBP-1, and cytokines in spontaneous preterm birth up to 14 days from sampling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between sonographic cervical length, fetal fibronectin (fFN), phIGFBP-1 (actim partus test), cytokines (IL-6, IL-2R, and TNF-α), and spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) up to 14 days from sampling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight patients were recruited in a period of 6 months from September 2013 until March 2014 with symptoms or complaints suggestive of preterm labor. Consenting women were treated according to usual hospital protocol, with addition of vaginal swabs taken for fetal fibronectin, phIGFBP-1 (actim partus test) and cervical IL6, IL2R, and TNF-α. The outcome variable was occurrence of preterm delivery within 14 days from the day of hospital admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six patients (62.07%) were delivered within 14 days from admission. Our results indicated that the cervical length significantly inversely correlates with the concentration of IL-6 in the CVF (Spearman's coefficient R=-0.382, P<0.05). Cervical length also correlated with a positive phIGFBP-1 test, i.e., patients with a positive test had an average cervical length of 18.5±4.63 mm, which is significantly lower than patients with a negative test -23.43±7.39 mm (P=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studied biochemical markers were only moderately successful in the prediction of preterm delivery.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadži-Lega
authors.forename: Ana Daneva
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Markova
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
authors.forename: Mile
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanturovski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D054791:Cervical Length Measurement; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C403421:FFN protein, human; D005353:Fibronectins; C032231:IGFBP1 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha