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

Objective: 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. Study Design: Compartive descriptive study. Setting: Fatima Memorial Hospital
Lahore. Period: Dec 2003 to Jan 2005. Patients & Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion:
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.