ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the role and significance of secretory phospholipase A2(sPLA2)in peripheral blood in preterm premature rup?ture of membranes(pPROM)and infection of amniotic cavity. Methods RT-PCR was used to detect the expression levels of sPLA2 mRNA in pe?ripheral blood of 30 patients with pPROM (experimental group),30 non-full term normal pregnant patients without pPROM (normal control group)and 30 full term patients with PROM(full-term control group)before and after delivery. Fetal membranes were collected at the time of deliv?ery of patients with pPROM for pathologic examination to determine histological chorioamnionitis(HCA). Results The expression levels of sPLA2 mRNA in peripheral blood were 1.079±0.746 and 0.651±0.481 in the experimental group and the normal control group before delivery,respectively, indicating that the expression of sPLA2 mRNA was increased in the experimental group compared with the normal control group(P=0.011). The expression levels of sPLA2 mRNA in peripheral blood were 2.439±0.086 and 2.575±0.036 in the experimental group and the full-term control group at labor onset,respectively,indicating that there was no statistically significant difference in the level of sPLA2 mRNA in peripheral blood between the experimental group and the full-term control group at labor onset(P=0.787). The level of sPLA2 was related to chorioamnionitis in the experi?mental group at labor onset. Conclusion The increase of sPLA2 may participate in the pathogenesis of preterm premature rupture of membranes and is related with the infection of chorioamnionitis.