Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF )
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (27)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stovall, T. G.
Right arrow Articles by Buster, J. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stovall, T. G.
Right arrow Articles by Buster, J. E.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 723-725, 1992
© 1992 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

other

Improved sensitivity and specificity of a single measurement of serum progesterone over serial quantitative beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin in screening for ectopic pregnancy

Thomas G. Stovall1,3, Frank W. Ling1, Richard N. Andersen2 and John E. Buster2

1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecology, University of Tennessee Memphis, TN, USA 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology andInfertility, University of Tennessee Memphis, TN, USA

Correspondence: 3To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 853 Jefferson Ave. E-102, Memphis, TN 38103, USA

The sensitivity and specificity of a single serum progesterone measurement was compared against two {beta}-human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) measurements 48 h apart in screening for abnormal pregnancy, i.e. ectopic pregnancy, completed or incomplete abortion. Of 1120 patients in the first trimester presenting with a positive urinary pregnancy test, 116/1120 (10.4%) had an ectopic pregnancy, 755/1120 (67.4%) had ultrasonographically confirmed intra-uterine pregnancies, and 249/1120 (22.2%) had abnormal intra-uterine pregnancies documented as complete, incomplete or missed abortions. Of the ectopic pregnancies, 113/116 (97.4%) had a serum progesterone level <25 ng/ml while 516/755 (68.3%) viable intra-uterine pregnancies had a serum progesterone level greater double equals25 ng/ml. Of the 1120 patients screened, 402 (35.9%) had both a serum progesterone and two HCG measurements and were eligible for inclusion in this study. Setting a cut-off of 25 ng/ml, the sensitivity and specificity of a single serum progesterone measurement was then compared against two serial HCG measurements, utilizing receiver operating characteristic curves. This analysis demonstrated that a single serum progesterone measurement was significantly more sensitive (P < 0.05) than two HCG measurements in screening for an abnormal pregnancy. In some patients, a single serum progesterone makes possible the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy 2 days earlier than two HCG determinations because a second blood sample was not required. We conclude that a single serum progesterone measurement should be added to serial HCG determinations as a standard diagnostic screening test for ectopic pregnancy.

Key words: ectopic pregnancy/human chorionic gonadotrophin/progesterone


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ReproductionHome page
J. Cartwright, W C. Duncan, H. O D Critchley, and A. W Horne
Serum biomarkers of tubal ectopic pregnancy: current candidates and future possibilities
Reproduction, July 1, 2009; 138(1): 9 - 22.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.