Evaluation Levels of Cytokines in Amniotic Fluid of Women with Intrauterine Infection in the Early Second Trimester

Vol. 21, No. 1, 2006

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Paper

Evaluation Levels of Cytokines in Amniotic Fluid of Women with Intrauterine Infection in the Early Second Trimester
Yoshikatsu Suzuki^a, Tamao Yamamoto^a, Kazuhisa Kojima^a, Mitsuyo Tanemura^a, Hisashi Tateyama^b, Kaoru Suzumori^a

^aDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology and
^b2ndDepartment of Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Fetal Diagn Ther 2006;21:45-50 (DOI: 10.1159/000089047)

Key Words

Infectious abortion
Early second trimester
Cytokines
Immunohistochemistry

Abstract

Amniotic fluid was obtained from 180 patients by amniocentesis at 16-22 weeks of gestation and assayed for the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, leukocyte elastase (LE), and glucose. Ten of cases had clinical symptoms, such as uterine contraction, genital bleeding, and cervical ripening, and the other 170 were assessed for fetal chromosomal features. Four of the ten cases with uterine contraction developed abortion, while 10 of those screened had findings of fetal chromosomal anomalies, and 7 cases then underwent induced abortion artificially. In the cases of abortion, levels of IL-6, IL-8 and LE were higher than in the samples from the 160 pregnant women without clinical symptoms and a normal karyotype, while glucose in amniotic fluid was lower. Of 6 cases with clinical symptoms, but not developing abortion, 4 developed preterm labor, and in these IL-6 and IL-8 also were significantly elevated, with LE being slight high compared to normal. The results suggest that IL-6, IL-8, LE, and glucose in amniotic fluid at early second trimester can be used as markers of severe infection in the uterus, and with the first two being particularly sensitive.

Author Contacts

Yoshikatsu Suzuki, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya City University Medical School
Kawasumi, Mizuho-Cho, Mizuho-Ku
Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan)
Tel. +81 52 8538241, Fax +81 52 8422269, E-Mail og.yo@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp

Article Information

Received: February 23, 2004
Accepted after revision: November 26, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 11

Medline Abstract (ID 16354974)

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