ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the detection rate among diagnostic methods used for preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM). METHODS: The study population was composed of pregnant women who visited delivery room at our hospital due to vaginal watery discharge from 1 March 2002 to 28 February 2003. The gestational age was between 15 and 36+6/7 weeks of gestation. The study group was composed of 74 pregnant women. The rupture of membrane was tested by nitrazine test, ROM-check test and actim PROM test. It was regarded true positive that normal spontaneous preterm delivery was occurred within 72 hrs. The detection rates of each test were analyzed. RESULTS: There were positive results in 65 cases of nitrazine test, 23 cases of ROM-check test and 53 cases of actim PROM test. Of these positive cases, cases that delivered within 72 hours were in 33 cases of nitrazine test, 13 cases of ROM-check test and 30 cases of actim PROM test. Among three diagnostic methods, the sensitivity is highest for nitrazine test (86.8%) and the specificity is highest for ROM- check test (72.2%). The positive predictive value shows no significant difference among three methods and the negative predictive value is highest for actim PROM test (61.9%). The combination of ROM-check test and actim PROM test shows most accurate detection rates for diagnosis of preterm premature rupture of the membranes (sensitivity 84.2%, specificity 42.3%, positive predictive value 56.1%, negative predictive value 64.7%). CONCLUSION: Our data shows that combination of diagnostic methods might improve detection rate for PPROM. Future studies remain to improve detection rate of PPROM.