Does fetal fibronectin use in the diagnosis of preterm labor affect physician behavior and health care costs? A randomized trial - 25/08/11
, E.E Welshman, MSW, E.A Calhoun, PhD
Reprint requests: William Grobman, MD, MBA, 333 East Superior St, Suite 410, Chicago, IL 60611.Abstract |
Objective |
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a knowledge of fetal fibronectin results affects patient treatment and health care costs.
Study design |
Women between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation with a singleton pregnancy and preterm uterine contractions were eligible for enrollment. Once informed consent was given, a fetal fibronectin specimen was obtained, and women were assigned randomly into 2 groups. In 1 group, results of the fetal fibronectin test were available; in the other group, results were not available. The use of inpatient and outpatient health care resources subsequent to enrollment was ascertained through the use of medical records, hospital billing data, and patient interviews. This study was powered to allow the detection in the fetal fibronectin group of a 20% reduction in total health care–related costs.
Results |
The 2 groups were similar with respect to maternal age, parity, race, cervical examination at admission, and estimated gestational age at enrollment and at delivery. Women who did not have fetal fibronectin results available were no different than those women who did with respect to initial length of labor and delivery observation (median, 4 hours vs 3 hours), hospital admission (28% vs 26%), tocolysis (18% vs 16%), cessation of work (27% vs 26%), or total health care–related costs (log mean ± SD, 7.6 ± 1.2 vs 7.5 ± 1.1).
Conclusion |
In this study population, the use of fetal fibronectin did not affect physician behavior or health care costs related to preterm contractions.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Fetal fibronectin, Preterm contraction
Plan
 | Supported by a grant from Adeza Biomedical, Sunnyvale, Calif. |
Vol 191 - N° 1
P. 235-240 - juillet 2004 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- Preconception transabdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage
- Katie M Groom, Bryony A Jones, D.Keith Edmonds, Phillip R Bennett
- Number and gestational age of prior preterm births does not modify the predictive value of a short cervix
- Nicole P Yost, John Owen, Vincenzo Berghella, Cora MacPherson, Melissa Swain, Gary A Dildy, Menachem Miodovnik, Oded Langer, Baha Sibai
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