Association between Membrane Echogenicity and Inflammatory Biomarkers among Women with Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes: A Prospective Cohort Study | ||
| Suez Canal University Medical Journal | ||
| Article 2, Volume 28, Issue 6, June 2025, Pages 9-14 PDF (243.9 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/scumj.2025.434106 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Bassant Fathy Hassona* ; Mohamed Mouselhy Farrag; Ahmed Mohamed Gadallah; Tamer Yehia Mohammed | ||
| Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is a challenging condition in pregnancy, often linked to infections. Early identification of women at risk for preterm delivery is crucial for providing appropriate care. Aim: To investigate the relationship between the echogenicity of amniotic membranes and inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women presenting with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).Methods: This prospective cohort study was carried out at the obstetrics and gynecology department of Suez Canal University Hospital. It included 72 pregnant women, aged 20–45 years, with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with PPROM between 28 and 37 weeks of gestation. Transvaginal ultrasound was used to assess the sonographic appearance of amniotic membranes near the internal os. Membranes were categorized as hyperechoic if their echogenicity resembled that of fetal bones (skull, femur, or pelvis) or as normo-echoic otherwise. Serum inflammatory biomarkers, including total leukocyte count and C-reactive protein (CRP), were measured. The study's primary outcome was to assess the association between membrane echogenicity and these biomarkers.Results: The mean patient age was 26.06 years, and the mean gestational age at admission was 32.47 weeks. No statistically significant differences were observed between the hyperechoic and normo-echoic groups regarding total leukocyte count (9.78 ± 2.50 vs. 9.89 ± 2.22, p = 0.610) or CRP levels (3.26 ± 0.91 vs. 3.51 ± 0.89, p = 0.108).Conclusion: Although increased echogenicity of the membranes may indicate potential inflammation, no significant differences in inflammatory biomarkers were found between the two groups in this study. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| PROM; Amniotic membranes; Echogenicity; CRP; Intra-amniotic inflammation | ||
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