Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population by center, biomarkers values, and antibiotic rates.
| Center A (n = 1,556) | Center B (n = 357) | Center C (n = 1,167) | Total (n = 3,080) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chorioamnionitis | 1 (0.06) | 8 (2.2) | 1 (0.08) | 10 (0.3) | <10–4 |
| Maternal fever before or at the beginning of labour > 38°C | 76 (5.0) | 24 (6.7) | 83 (7.1) | 183 (5.9) | <10–4 |
| Time of membrane rupture | |||||
| >18 h | 253 (16.2) | 65 (18.2) | 271 (23.2) | 589 (19.1) | <10–4 |
| 12 to 18 h | 146 (9.4) | 40 (11.2) | 335 (28.7) | 521 (16.9) | <10–4 |
| PROM before 37 WG without maternal antibiotic treatment | 13 (0.8) | 34 (9.5) | 60 (5.1) | 107 (3.5) | <10–4 |
| Abnormalities of the foetal heart rate or unexplained perinatal anoxia | 296 (19.0) | 41 (11.5) | 412 (35.3) | 749 (24.3) | <10–4 |
| Meconial or stained amniotic fluid without obstetrical cause | 490 (31.5) | 155 (43.4) | 310 (26.6) | 955 (31.0) | <10–4 |
| Prematurity <37 or ≥35 WG | 46 (2.9) | 8 (2.2) | 50 (4.3) | 104 (3.4) | 0.002 |
| Newborn fever | 1 (0.06) | 11 (3.1) | 0 | 12 (0.4) | 0.02 |
| Symptomatic | 124 (7.9) | 20 (5.6) | 80 (6.8) | 224 (7.3) | 0.36 |
| Hemodynamic symptoms | 19 (1.2) | 1 (0.3) | 2 (0.2) | 22 (0.7) | 5.104 |
| Respiratory symptoms | 2 (0.1) | 6 (1.7) | 4 (0.3) | 12 (0.4) | 0.42 |
| GBS-positive vaginal swab without maternal treatment | 87 (5.6) | 22 (6.2) | 31 (2.6) | 140 (4.5) | 0.002 |
| GBS-positive vaginal swab with maternal treatment | 346 (22.2) | 96 (27.0) | 64 (5.5) | 506 (16.4) | <10–4 |
| No vaginal swab results | 121 (7.8) | 35 (1.0) | 190 (16.3) | 346 (11.2) | <10–4 |
| CRP level, mean (SD) | 7.6 (12.6) | 3.7 (6.6) | 8.7 (13.8) | 6.4 (11.3) | |
| Median (IQR) | 3 (3–4) | 2 (2–3.3) | 5 (5–6.1) | 3 (2.3–5) | |
| PCT level, mean (SD) | 0.2 (1.7) | 0.4 (3) | 0.2 (1) | 0.2(1.5) | |
| Median (IQR) | 0.13 (0.11–0.16) | 0.13 (0.11–0.18) | 0.14 (0.12–0.17) | 0.14 (0.11–0.17) | |
| Neonatal antibiotic rate | 59 (3.8) | 22 (6.2) | 61 (5.2) | 142 (4.6) | |
| Absolute change in neonatal antibiotics prescription rate by using the PCT algorithm vs. current practice | 2.1% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.8% | |
| Relative change in neonatal antibiotics prescription rate by using the PCT algorithm vs. current practice | 55.2% | 19.3% | 28.8% | 39% |
Categorical variables are expressed with number (%) and continuous variables with mean (SD) or median (interquartile range [IQR]).
GBS, group B streptococcus, PROM, premature rupture of membranes; WG, weeks' gestation; CRP, C-reactive protein; PCT, procalcitonin.