Preterm labour; comparison of efficacy of glyceryl trinitrate patch with salbutamol for prolonging gestation for more than 48 hours, 7 days and upto 37 weeks of gestation

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy of Glyecryl trinitrate patch for prolonging gestation for more than 48 hours, 7 days or up to 37 weeks of gestation with Salbutamol in preterm labour. Compartive descriptive study. Fatima Memorial Hospital Lahore. Dec 2003 to Jan 2005. The study was carried out on 60 pregnant patients admitted in hospital with the symptoms and signs of preterm labour. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 8.0. Two groups [Transdermal Glyceryl Trinitrate group and Salbutamol] comprising 30 patients each were made. In Glyceryl Trinitrate group, transdermal patch was applied and in Salbutamol group, Intravenous infusion titrated according to frequency, duration and intensity of uterine contractions. All the patients in each group were evaluated for prolongation of gestation for 48 hours till 37th week of gestation. The mean prolongation of pregnancy was 26 days in GTN group and 32 days in Salbutamol group. The decrease in frequency of uterine contractions by 67.51 +/- 7.74% in first 48 hours of applying transdermal Glyceryl Trinitrate patch and by 80.14 +/- 8.43% in Salbutamol group which was statistically significant. Trinitrate appears to be a safe, well tolerated and non-invasive but less effectives method of suppressing uterine contraction in preterm labour as compared to Salbutamol