Authors: Debarati Dutta Jane E Norman
Publish Date: 2010/10/19
Volume: 284, Issue: 3, Pages: 559-565
Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the role of foetal fibronectin fFN testing in women presenting to hospital with symptoms of preterm labour in reducing the hospital admissions without significantly increasing the risk of preterm birth and neonatal respiratory distress syndromeWomen with symptoms of preterm labour were assigned randomly to receive fFN n = 44 or to preterm labour management without fFN n = 44 In the testing arm the result of the test was revealed to the clinician Clinical outcomes were compared in the two groups The time period covered by the randomised controlled trial RCT was from December 2007 to March 2009 The RCT was conducted in two large maternity units in the west of Scotland one in Glasgow the other in AyrshireAll the women with fibronectin positive got admitted while only 324 of the fibronectin negatives were admitted P = 0002 There was a significant difference in the mean length of stay between the fibronectin positives which was 4717 h and the negatives which was 129 h P = 0018 Overall the control and testing arms did not differ in respect to admissions and length of stay 5 out of 7 positives and 11 out of 37 negatives had corticosteroids P = 0089 2 out of 7 positives and 1 out of 37 negatives had tocolytics P = 0073The authors would like to thank the obstetrician colleagues in Crosshouse Hospital and Princess Royal maternity for recruitment They would also like to thank the staff of Crosshouse Library for literature searching reference management and particularly Jillian Mulholland for helping with the data collection Lastly sincere thanks to Mr Mario Hair for doing the statistical calculations The Trial is registered with University of Edinburgh which is a charitable body registered in Scotland with registration number SC005336
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