scholarly journals Prediction of Preterm Birth: Maternal Characteristics, Ultrasound Markers, and Biomarkers: An Updated Overview

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Asli Oskovi Kaplan ◽  
A. Seval Ozgu-Erdinc
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Strain Ratio ◽  
Cervical Length ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Fetal Fibronectin ◽  
Maternal Characteristics

There is not a single or combined screening method for preterm birth with high sensitivity which will truly identify the women at risk for preterm birth while also with high specificity to prevent unnecessary interventions and high treatment costs. Measurement of cervical length is the most cost-effective method that is used in clinical practice. Bedside tests have also been developed for detecting markers like fetal fibronectin, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), interleukin-6, and placental alpha-macroglobulin-1. Taking the maternal history, health condition, and sociodemographical factors into consideration is recommended. Ultrasound markers apart from cervical length measurements as uterocervical angle and placental strain ratio are studied. Investigations on metabolomics, proteomics, and microRNA profiling have brought a new aspect on this subject. Maybe in the future, with clear identification of women at true risk for preterm birth, development of more effective preventive strategies will not be unfeasible.

scholarly journals Evaluation of RNA Extraction-Free Method for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Salivary Samples for Mass Screening for COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Sally A. Mahmoud ◽  
Subhashini Ganesan ◽  
Esra Ibrahim ◽  
Bhagyashree Thakre ◽  
Juliet G. Teddy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Value ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Kappa Coefficient ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Good Agreement

In this COVID-19 pandemic, there is a dire need for cost-effective and less time-consuming alternatives for SARS-CoV-2 testing. The RNA extraction-free method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in saliva is a promising option. This study found that it has high sensitivity (85.34%), specificity (95.04%), and was comparable to the gold standard nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) sample tests. The method showed good agreement between salivary and NPS samples, with a kappa coefficient of 0.797. However, there are variations in the sensitivity and specificity based on the RT-PCR kit used. The Thermo Fisher Applied Biosystems showed high sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) but also showed a higher percentage of invalid reports. On the other hand, the BGI kit showed high specificity, better agreement (kappa coefficient) between the results of saliva and NPS samples, and higher correlation between the Ct values of saliva and NPS samples. Thus, the RNA extraction-free method for salivary sample serves as an effective alternative screening method for COVID-19.

Prediction of spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic twin pregnancies with the use of combined fetal fibronectin and cervical length

2009 ◽  
Vol 201 (3) ◽  
pp. 313.e1-313.e5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan S. Fox ◽  
Daniel H. Saltzman ◽  
Chad K. Klauser ◽  
Danielle Peress ◽  
Christina V. Gutierrez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Cervical Length ◽  
Spontaneous Preterm Birth ◽  
Fetal Fibronectin ◽  
Twin Pregnancies

α and β-defensins and bacterial vaginosis as preterm birth predictors. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Mariel Castillo-López ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cervical Length ◽  
Premature Delivery ◽  
Spontaneous Preterm Birth ◽  
Fetal Fibronectin ◽  
Potential Damage ◽  
Type Of Delivery ◽  
Children Under 5

Preterm birth is an entity with potential damage to the newborn and it is the leading cause of mortality in children under 5 years old. Even though research on this topic has been increasing in the last decade, it has not reflected in a reduction in the incidence of this problem. Nowadays, raised cervical-vaginal fetal fibronectin concentration and short cervical length are considered the only predictors of spontaneous preterm birth [1], and given the adverse and severe consequences of preterm birth, the early identification of women with a higher risk of presenting this type of delivery is crucial for pregnancy care. Several studies have tried to find new inflammation markers that may allow the early identification of pregnant women at high risk of premature delivery, because as on many diseases, inflammatory mediators play a role on the pathophysiology of this entity. This literature review aims to discuss recent findings regarding to the association between the innate immune response, specifically β-defensins with preterm birth.

scholarly journals Predicting preterm birth: Cervical length and fetal fibronectin

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 445-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moeun Son ◽  
Emily S. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Cervical Length ◽  
Fetal Fibronectin

The Association between Fetal Fibronectin, Cervical Length, and Amniotic Fluid Sludge with Histological Indicators of Placental Inflammation in Twin Gestations

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (03) ◽  
pp. 242-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aboluwade Ayodele ◽  
Simi Gupta ◽  
Jessica Spiegelman ◽  
Daniel Saltzman ◽  
Whitney Booker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Chronic Inflammation ◽  
Acute Inflammation ◽  
Cervical Length ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Historical Cohort ◽  
Fetal Fibronectin ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Placental Inflammation

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of screening tests for preterm birth (short cervical length [CL], positive fetal fibronectin (FFN), and amniotic fluid [AF] sludge) in twin gestations with histologic evidence of placental inflammation. Study Design Historical cohort study of 596 twin gestations delivered in a single maternal–fetal medicine practice with CL and FFN testing from 22 to 256/7 weeks. A short CL was defined as ≤25 mm. Placental lesions evaluated were chronic and acute membrane inflammation and funisitis. Fischer's exact test and logistic regression were used. Results None of the screening tests was associated with chronic inflammation. All were associated with acute inflammation. On regression analysis, a short CL and positive FFN remained independently associated with acute inflammation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.66 and 2.51, respectively) and funisitis (aOR: 5.66 and 7.17, respectively). AF sludge was not independently associated with acute inflammation nor funisitis. Conclusion In twin gestations, a short CL and a positive FFN at 22 to 26 weeks are associated with acute but not chronic inflammation on placental histology. These findings imply that mechanisms underlying preterm birth in twins that result in positive screening tests weeks prior to delivery are not reflected as chronic placental inflammation. Therefore, pathologic interpretation of etiologic mechanisms for preterm birth may be limited using solely histologic reports.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document