title: The role of early determination of β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels in predicting the success of single-dose methotrexate treatment in ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine the importance of β-hCG level on day 4 following methotrexate (MTX) administration, and the difference between β-hCG levels assessed on day 0 and day 4 in predicting treatment success.
  
  
  
  A total of 68 women with tubal pregnancy, treated with a single dose of MTX, were selected for this retrospective study.
  
  
  
  The success rate of single-dose MTX treatment in our clinic was 75% (51/68). Among 51 patients in whom MTX treatment was successful, 25 (36.8%) showed a decrease in β-hCG level of > 15% on days 0 and 4, and 44 (64.7%) showed a β-hCG level decrease of > 15% on days 4 and 7. For subjects with β-hCG decrease of > 15% on days 4 and 7, the standard error was 6.5%, and the area under the ROC curve was 81.7%, while the corresponding values for days 0 and 4 were 7.2% and 64%, respectively.
  
  
  
  A decrease of > 15 % in β-hCG levels between days 0 and 4 does not seem to be a better predictor for success of single-dose MTX treatment for ectopic pregnancy than between days 4 and 7. A statistically significant difference was observed only in β-hCG levels on day 7 in both, successful and unsuccessful single-dose MTX groups.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ondokuz Mayıs, School of Medicine, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey. drhandancelik@hotmail.com.
authors: Handan
authors: H
authors: Çelik
authors: Miğraci
authors: M
authors: Tosun
authors: Yüksel
authors: Y
authors: Işık
authors: Bahattin
authors: B
authors: Avcı
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D003603:Cytotoxins; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: ectopic pregnancy; human chorionic gonadotropin; methotrexate; single dose; treatment success