Assessment of the circulating soluble endothelial cell adhesion molecules and pentraxin 3 levels in predicting preterm delivery within 72 h

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to evaluate maternal serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), and PTX-3 concentrations in patients with threatened preterm labor (TPL) and to predict preterm delivery within 72 h after hospitalization. Premature birth is defined as the risk of the newborn being in labor before the 37th week of pregnancy is completed. Preterm birth affects 9–13% of whole pregnancies. The major causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality.
METHODS: This study consisted of 54 women with TPL and 31 healthy pregnant women. The TPL group was further divided into two subgroups; patients who gave birth within 72 h after the hospitalization was applied to as a preterm delivery group and who gave birth at ≥37 weeks were referred to as the term delivery group. Maternal serum levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin, and PTX-3 were measured with the use of ELISA kits.
RESULTS: Maternal serum sICAM-1 and PTX-3 levels were significantly higher in a preterm delivery group compared with the other two groups (preterm vs. control and preterm vs. term p <0.001). Serum sVCAM-1 and s E-selectin levels were significantly lower in the preterm group compared with the other two groups (preterm vs. control and preterm vs. term p<0.001). Gestational age at birth and sVCAM-1, sE-selectin levels are positive correlated (r=0.679, p<0.001; r=0.624, p<0.001) and sICAM-1, PTX-3 levels were negatively correlated (r=−0.630, p<0.001; r=−0.732, p<0.01). Cervical length measurement showed a negative correlation with PTX-3 and sICAM-1 (r=−0.420, p<0.001; r=−0.376, p<0.001) showed a positive correlation with and sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin levels (r=0.811, p<0.001; r=0.651, p<0.001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study shows a clear relationship between the gestational week at birth and maternal serum levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin, and PTX-3. These biomarkers with TPL predict preterm labor within 72 h in patients with a complicated and short cervix.