Interleukin-6 and Mycoplasma hominis as markers of preterm birth and related brain damage: our experience.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate whether a high concentration of interleukin-6 (IL)-6 in the amniotic fluid is associated to a higher risk of preterm delivery, premature rupture of the membranes (PROM), and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) in preterm infants; we have further investigated whether the levels of IL-6 are related to the presence of vaginal infection by mycoplasms. METHODS: One hundred eight patients were screened by vaginal swab, sonography, amniocentesis, and dosage of IL-6 in the amniotic fluid during the second trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS: High levels of IL-6 and vaginal mycoplasms are related to preterm birth and PROM. We had no case of PLV. CONCLUSION: In order to achieve a good therapeutic purpose and get to an efficient strategy, the patients have to be elected by a number of criteria, which may include anamnesis elements, vaginal swab, then cytokines dosage in selected women, thus excluding the low-risk cases. Further studies are expected in order to plan guidelines including the dosage of ILs and principally of IL-6 as a main marker of preterm birth, above all during the second trimester.

Case report of a sarcoma botryoides of the uterine cervix in fertile age and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The sarcoma botryoides of the cervix uteri occurs very rarely in fertile women. CASE: Here is a case of a 35-year-old fertile woman, who developed a sarcoma botryoides of the cervix uteri. The diagnosis required clinical examination, ecography, NMR, CT scan and a pathological examination of the surgical sample. Radical surgery and chemotherapy was performed. The patients is still living after more than 1 year after treatment. DISCUSSION: Although the combined modality approach has given, if not constant, acceptable outcomes, a larger investigation on all the cases of sarcoma botryoides of the cervix uteri is expected.