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[A study of the relationship among interleukin-8, cortisol and idiopathic preterm labor]
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Objective:
To assess the effect of interleukin-8 and cortisol on the onset of idiopathic preterm labor (PL).
Methods:
In 35 women with preterm labor and 17 controls, maternal serum and urine samples were collected. Interleukin-8 concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, serum cortisol level was measured by radioimmunoassay.
Results:
The concentration of interleukin-8 in maternal serum and urine and cortisol in serum were significantly higher in PL group than those in the control [(0.26 +/- 0.13) microg/L vs (0.16 +/- 0.08) microg/L, (0.16 +/- 0.15) x 10(-2) g/mol Cr vs (0.04 +/- 0.02) x 10(-2) g/mol Cr, (765.83 +/- 408.55) microg/L vs (512.41 +/- 142.65) microg/L; P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.01, respectively]. A strong correlation was found ammong interleukin-8 and cortisol concentration in maternal serum in PL (r = 0.448; P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
There is a strong relationship between interleukin-8 and cortisol in the onset of preterm labor. Immune system and endocrine system might be involved in the mechanisms of idiopathic preterm labor.
