Fetal membranes as an interface between inflammation and metabolism: Increased Aquaporin 9 expression in the presence of spontaneous labor at term and chorioamnionitis

Figures & data

Table I.  Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study groups.

	Term not in labor (n = 14)	Term spontaneous labor (n = 14)	p-value*	PPROM without chorioamnionitis (n = 17)	PPROM with chorioamnionitis (n = 20)	p-value^†
Maternal age (years)	28.5 (20.7–33.2)	21.5 (19.7–25.0)	NS	26.5 (21.5–31.0)	27.5 (24.2–33.7)	NS
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)	39.1 (38.7–39.6)	40.2 (39.2–40.6)	0.01	31.6 (30.1–33.0)	31.1 (29.2–32.4)	NS
Parity	1.5 (1–2.2)	1.0 (1–2)	NS	1.5 (0–3.5)	2.0 (1.2–7.8)	NS
Birthweight (g)	3590 (3255–3977)	3410 (3145–3700)	NS	1525 (1365–1850)	1700 (1037–1940)	NS
Ethnic origin (%)
African-American	8/14 (57.1)	13/14 (92.9)	NS	14/17 (82.4)	18/20 (90.0)	NS
Caucasian	3/14 (21.4)	1/14 (7.1)	NS	3/17 (17.6)	2/20 (10.0)	NS
Other	3/14 (21.5)	0/14 (0.0)	NS	0/17 (0.0)	0/20 (0.0)	NS

Values are presented as median (interquartile range) or number (percentage).

PPROM, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes; NS, not significant.

*Comparison between term not in labor and term spontaneous labor.

^†Comparison between PPROM without histologic chorioamnionitis and PPROM with histologic chorioamnionitis.

Figure 1.  Box and whisker plot of aquaporin 9 mRNA expression in chorioamniotic membranes from women at term. Aquaporin 9 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the chorioamniotic membranes of women at term in labor when compared with the fetal membranes of women at term not in labor (fold-change 3.6; p = 0.01).

Figure 2.  Box and whisker plot of aquaporin 9 mRNA expression in chorioamniotic membranes from women diagnosed with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). Chorioamniotic membranes from women with PPROM and histologic chorioamnionitis demonstrated a significantly higher expression of aquaporin 9 mRNA when compared with women with PPROM alone (fold-change 8.7; p < 0.001).