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Association between serum tumor necrosis factor‐α and corticotropin‐releasing hormone levels in women with preterm labor
Author(s) -
Vitoratos Nicolaos,
Papadias Konstantinos,
Makrakis Evangelos,
Christodoulakos George,
Panoulis Konstantinos,
Creatsas George
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 1341-8076
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2006.00441.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , tumor necrosis factor alpha , gestational age , hormone , corticotropin releasing hormone , endocrinology , pregnancy , tumor necrosis factor α , preterm labor , obstetrics , biology , genetics
Aim: To evaluate the association of serum corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in preterm labor. Methods: Forty‐nine primigravidas with a singleton viable pregnancy between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation were studied. They were divided into two groups. Group A consisted of 30 pregnant women (mean gestational age: 30.6 week) who presented with preterm labor and group B consisted of 19 pregnant women (mean gestational age: 29.8 week) with normal pregnancies. Results: Women of group A had significantly higher serum CRH levels compared to those of group B ( P < 0.01). Similarly, serum TNF‐α levels were significantly higher in women of group A when compared to women of group B (7.8 ± 3.72 pg/mL and 5.1 ± 3.72 pg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between serum CRH and TNF‐α levels in both groups, which was stronger in women of group A. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the increased levels of TNF‐α and CRH found in pregnant women presenting with preterm labor may be involved in the pathophysiological mechanism of the latter. Furthermore, a positive interaction may exist between TNF‐α and placental CRH, which may lead to enhanced production of the second and, therefore, facilitate the onset of labor.