Maternal serum levels of interleukin‐6 and clinical characteristics of normal delivery at term

Knut Jørgen Arntzen, Egil Lien, Rigmor Austgulen
In: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica · 1997 · vol. 76(1) , pp. 55–60 · doi:10.3109/00016349709047785 · PMID:9033245 · W2097356499
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to study participation of cytokines and cytokine inhibitors during the process of normal parturition, as assessed by maternal serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNFRs, p55 and p75). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six healthy women in normal term labor were observed during parturition and until 2 h post partum. Serum was sampled every 2 h, and an evaluation of strength and frequency of contractions was performed at the time of sampling. Concentrations of IL-1, IL-6, TNF, p55 and p75 were analyzed, and non-parametric tests were used to study whether any relationship existed between the serum analyzes and the clinical characteristics of parturition. RESULTS: There was a significant association between the strength of contractions and the levels of IL-6 and p55. In addition, IL-6 concentrations and frequency of contractions were correlated. Maternal serum levels of IL-6 and p55 were highest 2 h post partum. TNF activity was detected in samples from nine women, whereas IL-1 was not found in any sample. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests a role of IL-6 and p55 in normal labor. However, as women being studied already were in labor, the study does not allow any conclusions whether observed changes in IL-6 and p55 levels have a causal relation to the process of labor or if changes are secondary effects of the process itself.

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