Objective: Infection is likely to contribute to preterm birth (PTB). Laboratory analysis has demonstrated that vaginal IL-6 is correlated with PTB. We aimed to investigate a bedside test in this context.
Method: Vaginal secretions were collected from 71 asymptomatic high-risk women. After 20 minutes incubation at room temperature, samples were analyzed by the bedside reader (IL-6 concentration in pg/ml) (Milenia-Biotec, Germany). Maternal and neonatal infectious markers and pregnancy outcome were recorded.
Results: IL-6 was related to PTB, latency to gestation and maternal infection but not neonatal infection. In women with visible fetal membranes (n = 13), all of those with a high IL-6 (≥56 pg/ml) had a PTB (n = 11) compared to half (n = 1) with a low IL-6 (<56 pg/ml). All the women with a high IL-6 at <24 weeks' (n = 10) delivered before viability compared to none with a low IL-6 (n = 2). In women with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (PPROM) and high IL-6 (n = 8) there was a trend toward more extreme PTB's (57% vs. 0%, p = 0.19) and delivery within 7 days (71% vs. 50%, p = 0.09) compared to low IL-6 (n = 5).
Conclusion: IL-6 may be useful in guiding the difficult management of patients with visible membranes and PPROM, for example, the potential benefit of a cervical cerclage.