Table 4 Association of unit policy of tocolysis after PPROM and perinatal and 2-year outcomes.

From: Unit policies regarding tocolysis after preterm premature rupture of membranes: association with latency, neonatal and 2-year outcomes (EPICE cohort)

Unit policies

Outcome (complete cases) n (%)

Outcome (multiple imputation) (%) [95% CI]

Bivariate analysis* OR (95% CI)

Multivariate analysis† aOR (95% CI)

Early-onset sepsis among infants admitted to NICU

Use of tocolysis

n = 587

n = 594

n = 594

n = 594

   No-use

8 (8.2)

(8.1) [2.7–13.5]

Ref

Ref

   Restricted

11 (5.8)

(5.9) [2.5–9.2]

0.71 (0.27–1.83)

0.72 (0.25–2.06)

   Liberal

22 (7.3)

(7.4) [4.4–10.3]

0.90 (0.39–2.11)

0.78 (0.30–2.04)

First line tocolytic‡

n = 291

n = 294

n = 294

n = 294

   CCB

3 (3.6)

(3.8) [0.0–8.1]

Ref

Ref

   BM

10 (11.6)

(11.6) [4.8–18.5]

3.33 (0.89–12.52)

5.11 (0.84–31.05)

   OA

9 (7.4)

(7.4) [2.7–12.1]

2.02 (0.53–7.65)

2.78 (0.59–13.20)

Duration of use‡

n = 300

n = 303

n = 303

N = 303

   ≤48 hrs

14 (6.7)

(6.7) [3.3–10.1]

Ref

Ref

   As long as necessary

8 (8.9)

(8.9) [3.0–14.8]

1.36 (0.55–3.36)

1.16 (0.39–3.44)

Survival at discharge

Use of tocolysis

n = 607

n = 607

n = 607

n = 607

   No-use

92 (91.1)

(91.1) [85.5–96.7]

Ref

Ref

   Restricted

182 (93.3)

(93.3) [89.8–96.9]

1.47 (0.58–3.71)

1.49 (0.49–4.51)

   Liberal

275 (88.4)

(88.4) [84.9–92.0]

1.01 (0.43–2.37)

1.31 (0.49–3.53)

First line tocolytic‡

n = 302

n = 302

n = 302

n = 302

   CCB

80 (88.9)

(88.9) [82.3–95.4]

Ref

Ref

   BM

75 (84.3)

(84.3) [76.6–91.9]

0.66 (0.25–1.72)

1.13 (0.38–3.36)

   OA

112 (91.1)

(91.1) [86.0–96.1]

1.24 (0.47–3.28)

0.86 (0.29–2.52)

Duration of use‡

n = 311

n = 311

n = 311

n = 311

   ≤48 hrs

196 (90.3)

(90.3) [86.4–94.3]

Ref

Ref

   As long as necessary

79 (84.0)

(84.0) [76.6–91.5]

0.57 (0.27–1.21)

0.96 (0.39–2.38)

Survival at discharge without severe morbidity

Use of tocolysis

n = 588

n = 607

n = 607

n = 607

   No-use

78 (78.8)

(77.2) [69.0–85.5]

Ref

Ref

   Restricted

157 (84.9)

(80.5) [74.9–86.1]

1.21 (0.66–2.21)

1.11 (0.55–2.22)

   Liberal

236 (77.6)

(75.9) [71.1–80.7]

0.93 (0.54–1.62)

0.94 (0.49–1.81)

First line tocolytic‡

n = 295

n = 302

n = 302

n = 302

   CCB

68 (77.3)

(75.6) [66.6–84.5]

Ref

Ref

   BM

65 (73.0)

(73.0) [63.7–82.3]

0.90 (0.41–2.00)

1.58 (0.64–3.91)

   OA

95 (80.5)

(77.2) [69.8–84.7]

1.14 (0.55–2.37)

1.11 (0.47–2.66)

Duration of use‡

n = 304

n = 311

n = 311

n = 311

   ≤48 hrs

168 (80.0)

(77.4) [71.8–83.0]

Ref

Ref

   As long as necessary

68 (72.3)

(72.3) [63.2–81.5]

0.75 (0.39–1.42)

1.17 (0.55–2.48)

Survival at 2 years corrected age without gross motor impairment

Use of tocolysis

n = 400

n = 607

n = 607

n = 607

   No-use

46 (79.3)

(88.1) [81.8–94.5]

Ref

Ref

   Restricted

94 (84.7)

(91.3) [87.3–95.3]

1.54 (0.68–3.48)

2.13 (0.81–5.59)

   Liberal

181 (78.4)

(83.9) [79.8–88.0]

0.90 (0.43–1.91)

1.34 (0.56–3.20)

First line tocolytic‡

n = 222

n = 302

n = 302

n = 302

   CCB

65 (82.3)

(84.4) [76.9–92.0]

Ref

Ref

   BM

48 (69.6)

(76.4) [67.5–85.3]

0.60 (0.28–1.26)

0.79 (0.30–2.05)

   OA

60 (81.1)

(88.6) [83.0–94.3]

1.43 (0.65–3.18)

0.86 (0.33–2.20)

Duration of use‡

n = 231

n = 311

n = 311

n = 311

   ≤48 hrs

129 (82.2)

(87.1) [82.6–91.6]

Ref

Ref

   As long as necessary

52 (70.3)

(76.6) [68.0–85.2]

0.48 (0.26–0.90)

0.73 (0.33–1.59)

  1. BM: Betamimetics, CCB: Calcium channel blockers, NICU: neonatal intensive care unit, OA: Oxytocin antagonists, OR: odds ratio, aOR: adjusted odds ratio.
  2. *Multilevel random-effect logistic regression with maternity unit as level 2 and country as level 3. Multiple imputation.
  3. †Multilevel random-effect logistic regression with maternity unit as level 2 and country as level 3, adjusted for unit characteristics (number of births in 2011) and individual characteristics (gestational age at PPROM). Multiple imputation.
  4. ‡Among units with a liberal policy for tocolysis after PPROM.
Back to article page