The clinical significance of eosinophils in the amniotic fluid in preterm labor

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Eosinophils in the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid obtained from a patient with spontaneous preterm labor and intact membranes. The eosinophils (arrows) were the predominant cells in the amniotic fluid (arrowhead: epithelial cell).

Table I.  Clinical characteristics of the study population.

	Cases (n = 10)	Controls (n = 50)	p
Nullipara	20 (2/10)	32 (16/50)	0.5
Previous preterm delivery	10 (1/10)	20 (10/50)	0.5
Gestational age at amniocentesis (weeks)	30.4 (27–34.1)	30 (28.6–31.3)	0.7
Cervical dilatation at admission (cm)	1.5 (1–3)	1.0 (1–3)	0.6
AF WBC count (cells/mm^3)	6 (5–8)	2 (0–9)	0.019
AF glucose (mg/dl)	28 (25–43)	36 (28–42)	0.3
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)	34.6 (32–37.3)	38.0 (35–40)	0.018
Preterm delivery ≤35 weeks	50 (5/10)	18 (9/50)	0.029
Preterm delivery ≤37 weeks	70 (7/10)	36 (18/50)	0.046
Birthweight (g)	2048 (1860–3033)	2693 (2011–3125)	0.1

AF, amniotic fluid; WBC, white blood cells.

Results are expressed as median (inter-quartile range) and percentage (proportion).

Figure 2.  Amniocentesis-to-delivery interval according to the presence or absence of amniotic fluid white blood cell count differential of more than 20% of eosinophils. Although the difference was not significant, the median amniocentesis-to-delivery interval was 7 days shorter in cases than controls [cases: 34 days (95% CI 0–70 days) vs. controls: for cases and 41 days (95% CI 34–48 days); p = 0.084]. Solid line: cases; dashed line: controls; open circles: censored patients.