The Role Of Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Level In The Prediction Of Spontaneous Preterm Birth

OBJECTIVES: To explore the role of prenatal plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the prediction of preterm labor.METHODS: The study included 32 inpatients who had suffered preterm labor during March, 2005 to March 2006 in Cixi People's Hospital, Zhejiang Province. These women were separated into preterm birth group(15 cases) and threatened preterm labor group(17cases), according to whether a patient gave birth within one week or not. In addition, 15 normal pregnant women were enlisted in a control group. A enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in plasma samples from above groups.RESULTS: The values of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in plasma level of those three groups were compared against each other: the median level of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the preterm delivery group was 0.713 ng/ml (range: 0.12 ng/ml to 1.56 ng/ml), which was markedly higher than the median level of the threatened preterm labor group (0.0212 ng/ml, range: 0.02 ng/ml to 0.08 ng/ml), as well as the median level of the control group (0.0060 ng/ml, range: 0.01 ng/ml to 0.03 ng/ml)(P<0.05); whereas, there was no significant difference between the median level of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the threatened preterm labor group and in the control group(P>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The median level of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the preterm delivery group was markedly higher than that of the threatened preterm labor group, as well as the control group. Plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels could possibly serve as a convinient , non-invasive predictive factor for preterm labor.