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Positive association of serum interleukin-1β and CRH levels in women with pre-term labor

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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) might be involved in the increase of the circulating levels of placental-derived CRH leading to the initiation of pre-term labor. Subjects and methods: Forty-eight primigravidae with a singleton viable pregnancy between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation were studied. The subjects were divided in two groups: group A consisted of 30 pregnant women (mean age±SD; 22±1.1 yr old) presented with preterm labor (mean gestational age±SD; 30.6±2.3 weeks) and group B consisted of 18 pregnant women (24±2.6 yr old) with normal pregnancies (29.8±3.1 weeks). CRH and IL-1β levels were measured in blood specimens collected from all the study subjects on admission. Results: Women of group A presented significantly higher serum CRH levels (mean±SE; 1.18±1.83 ng/ml) compared to those of group B (0.48±0.67 ng/ml) (p<0.01). Similarly, serum IL-1β levels were significantly higher in women of group A (0.45±0.12 pg/ml) compared to those of group B (0.31±0.08 pg/ml) (p<0.01). A positive correlation was found between serum IL-1β and CRH (r=0.68, p=0.001) in women of group A (pre-term labor). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the increased levels of IL-1β and CRH found in pregnant women presented with pre-term labor might be involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of the latter. Furthermore, a positive interaction might exist between IL-1β and placental CRH which might lead to enhanced production of the second, facilitating, thus, the onset of labor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2nd Department of Ob/Gyn, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sophias Av., 11528, Athens, Greece

    N. Vitoratos MD, A. Kountouris, K. Papadias & G. Creatsas

  2. Endocrine Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece

    G. Mastorakos

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Vitoratos, N., Mastorakos, G., Kountouris, A. et al. Positive association of serum interleukin-1β and CRH levels in women with pre-term labor. J Endocrinol Invest 30, 35–40 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347393

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