RESUMO
BACKGROUND: To evaluate the increment in beta-hCG levels (%) in the 48-h interval prior to treatment as a predictor of therapeutic success in the management of ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out between April 2002 and November 2006 at the Federal University of São Paulo in 65 patients with an ectopic pregnancy treated with a single dose of 50 mg/m(2) of methotrexate administered intramuscularly. The following predictive factors were evaluated: beta-hCG level on the day of hospital admission and the percent increment in beta-hCG in the 48-h interval prior to treatment. RESULTS: Treatment was successful in 49 cases (75.4%). In these cases, beta-hCG levels at hospitalization were lower when compared to the levels found in cases of therapeutic failure (1,928.9 vs. 4,828.6 mIU/ml, respectively; P<0.01), and the increment in beta-hCG level in the 48-h interval prior to treatment was smaller (13.1 vs. 36.3%, respectively; P=0.01). A beta-hCG measurement Assuntos
Abortivos não Esteroides/uso terapêutico
, Gonadotropina Coriônica Humana Subunidade beta/sangue
, Metotrexato/uso terapêutico
, Gravidez Ectópica/sangue
, Gravidez Ectópica/tratamento farmacológico
, Gonadotropina Coriônica Humana Subunidade beta/metabolismo
, Estudos de Coortes
, Feminino
, Humanos
, Gravidez
, Resultado do Tratamento
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of the endometrial thickness measurement through transvaginal ultrasound as an orienting factor for the medical treatment of unruptured tubal pregnancy with a single dose of methotrexate in order to select the best cases for the medical treatment. METHODS: A prospective study, in which the largest measurement of endometrial thickness in millimeters was evaluated, along the longitudinal uterine axis, by means of transvaginal ultrasound. A total of 38 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for single-dose methotrexate treatment [50 mg/m2 intramuscularly (i.m.)] were included in the study. We observed whether there was any difference in mean value of endometrial thickness and initial beta-human choriongonadotropin levels, between the cases that evolved successfully with the treatment, and those that failed. RESULTS: The mean value of endometrial thickness and initial beta-human choriongonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels, for patients evolving successfully with medical treatment (28 cases), were 6.39 mm and 1936.2 mUI/ml, respectively, while the mean values for failures were 11.70 mm and 6831.3 mUI/ml. We carried out statistical analysis using the 'Student's t-test', with p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The mean value of endometrial thickness, along the longitudinal uterine axis through transvaginal ultrasound, reflects hormonal action and has been demonstrated to be another important parameter in indicating the medical treatment of an unruptured tubal pregnancy.