Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the study population
| Characteristics | Intra-amniotic inflammation (−)/ MIAC (−) (Group 1, n=55) |
P* | Intra-amniotic inflammation (+)/ MIAC (−) (Group 2, n=26) |
P† | Intra-amniotic inflammation (+)/ MIAC (+) (Group 3; n=9) |
P‡ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal age, years§ | 31 (29–33) | <.001 | 34 (32–35) | NS | 32 (29–36) | NS |
| Nulliparity | 43/55 (78%) | NS | 9/26 (35%) | NS | 4/9 (44%) | NS |
| Gestational age at amniocentesis, weeks | 30.6 (28.6–32.2) | NS | 27.5 (25.1–33.3) | NS | 27.7 (23.9–33.0) | NS |
| Gestational age at amniocentesis < 28 weeks | 12/55 (22%) | .006 | 14/26 (45%) | NS | 5/9 (56%) | NS |
| Cervical dilatation, cm§ | 1.5 (0–3) | <.001 | 3.0 (1.5–4) | NS | 3.0 (1.5–5) | NS |
| Tocolytics use** | 50/53 (94%) | NS | 21/24 (88%) | NS | 5/9 (56%) | .006 |
| Corticosteroids use†† | 43/52 (83%) | NS | 14/18 (78%) | NS | 5/8 (63%) | NS |
| Clinical chorioamnionitis | 0/55 | NS | 0/26 | NS | 1/9 (11%) | NS |
Data presented as median (interquartile range) or n/N (%).
MIAC, microbial invasion of amniotic cavity; NS, not significant.
*
Comparison between groups 1 and 2.
†
Comparison between groups 2 and 3.
‡
Comparison between groups 1 and 3.
§
P<.05 by Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test.
**
Four women who were unavailable for information about use of tocolytics were excluded from the analysis.
††
Administration of antenatal corticosteroid was considered when gestational age was between 23+0 and 33+6 weeks.