Fertility outcome following combined methotrexate treatment of unruptured extrauterine pregnancy

The Use of Intravenous Methotrexate in the Treatment of Ectopic Pregnancy

Between January 1996 and December 2001, at the Department of Gynecology, Perinatology and Human Reproduction of the University of Florence, 49 ectopic pregnancies were submitted to medical treatment. The treatment schedule consisted of the administration of 100 mg of intravenous methotrexate (MTX). The patients included in this study fulfilled the following requisites: gestational period <8 weeks; diameter of the ectopic gestational sac <4 cm; serum level of human chorionic beta-gonadotropin (beta-hCG) <5000 IU/ml; absence of clinical and ultrasound signs of tube rupture with initial hemoperitoneum; hematochemical tests compatible with chemotherapic treatment. All patients were followed with a dosage of serum beta-hCG repeated every 2-3 days after chemotherapy and with an ultrasound every 3-4 days. In case of documented success of treatment the patient was hospitalized for no more than 3 days after administration of the drug. In 1 case therapy took place in a day-hospital regimen. Medical treatment was effective in 35 patients out of 49 (71.4%) and led to negative beta-hCG in a median time of 11 days, with a range between 2 and 48 days. In the 14 non-responsive cases (28.6%), after a mean time of 6 days we proceeded to a traditional surgical approach or laparoscopy. In none of the cases did we find significant pharmacological toxicity, while in 9 patients (18.3%), severe painful symptoms appeared immediately after treatment, but resolved within 24 hours. Our results are interesting and in agreement with other experiences found in the literature. In our opinion, the advisability of a second administration in case of slow response, the comparison with an analogous intramuscular treatment, a more precise definition of the eligibility criteria, long-term follow-up of the patients, especially in case of subsequent pregnancies should all be further considered.

Assessment of β-human chorionic gonadotropin level as a reliable predictor of tubal patency confirmed with transvaginal ultrasound-guided selective salpingography (TVSSG) following conservative treatment of tubal pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To try putting the β-hCG level as a reliable predictor for tubal patency for women, who had previously undergone expectant treatment or who had received systemic methotrexate injection because of tubal pregnancy, and to simply check their tubal patency using a newly proposed procedure, a transvaginal ultrasound guided selective salpingography (TVSSG).

METHODS

One hundred and sixty patients were submitted to TVSSG after tubal pregnancy treatment. TVSSG was subsequently performed in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle after the clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy. One hundred patients received expectant management and 60 were treated with single-dose methotrexate (50 mg/m(2) intramuscularly).

RESULTS

Of 160 patients (235 fallopian tubes examined), the affected tube was observed to be patent by TVSSG in 84 and 78%, respectively (P > 0.05). The contralateral tube was patent in 93%. Forty patients became pregnant and were thus not subsequently assessed with laparoscopy. Ten of these pregnancies ended in a miscarriage and five in a recurrent tubal pregnancy. The concordance of 86% for Fallopian tubes was achieved between the TVSSG and laparoscopy by the gold standard method. After the logistic regression was performed, it was observed that the levels of β-hCG > 5,000 mUI/ml were directly related to the tubal obstruction risk, odds ratio = 11.7 (95% CI = 2.27-61.32).

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, the probability of ipsilateral tubal obstruction depends on the β-hCG levels. The increase in β-hCG levels is followed by an enhancement in tubal obstruction risk. Therefore, assessment of the β-hCG may be an effective tool for the prognosis of the reproductive future of these patients.

Comparison of the effect of single-dose and multiple-dose methotrexate therapy on tubal patency

OBJECTIVE

To compare tubal patency by using hysterosalpingography (HSG) in women with unruptured ectopic tubal pregnancy who were treated with either single-dose or multiple-dose methotrexate (MTX) regimen.

DESIGN

A case series with a retrospective statistical analysis.

SETTING

Maternity and teaching hospital in Turkey.

PATIENT(S)

Sixty-one patients treated with MTX therapy for unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy.

INTERVENTION(S)

Thirty-one patients received single-dose and 30 multiple-dose MTX treatment. The HSG was performed 4 to 6 months after treatment to assess tubal patency.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Ipsilateral and contralateral tubal obstruction rates.

RESULT(S)

Free passage through the ipsilateral tube was observed in 17 of 30 cases (56.7%) after multiple-dose, and 26 of 31 cases (83.9%) after single-dose MTX therapy. Patency of the contralateral tube was higher after single-dose than multiple-dose MTX treatment, although the value was not statistically significant. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the parameters of age, gravida, parity, initial titers of beta human chorionic gonadotropin, size of the adnexal mass, and MTX regimen and their correlation with the HSG results after the clinical treatment for unruptured ectopic pregnancy. Only the type of MTX regimen was found to be used as a predictor of ipsilateral tubal obstruction.

CONCLUSION(S)

In terms of ipsilateral tubal obstruction, multiple-dose MTX therapy appears to have a greater negative effect on tubal patency than single-dose therapy.

Tubal patency following surgical and clinical treatment of ectopic pregnancy

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE

As there is little information about fertility outcomes among women following clinical treatment (methotrexate and expectant management) and surgery (salpingectomy) consequent to ectopic pregnancy, we evaluate the results from hysterosalpingography subsequent to treatment. The objective was to evaluate contralateral tubal patency using hysterosalpingography following surgery and clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a prospective study at the Department of Obstetrics of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, a tertiary center.

METHOD

Among 115 patients who underwent hysterosalpingography following surgery and clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy between April 1994 and February 2002, 30 were treated with a single intramuscular dose of methotrexate (50 mg/m(2)), 50 were followed up expectantly and 35 underwent salpingectomy.

RESULTS

The patency of the ipsilateral tube was 84% after methotrexate treatment and 78% after expectant management. In addition, contralateral tubal patency was 97% after methotrexate treatment, 92% after expectant management and 83% after salpingectomy. There were no statistically significant differences between the clinical treatment and surgery groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study suggest similar contralateral tubal patency rates following salpingectomy, methotrexate treatment and expectant management.

Values of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin as a risk factor for tubal obstruction after tubal pregnancy

AIM

The hysterosalpingography (HSG) was evaluated after the clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy and the possible risk of tubal obstruction through the following parameters: beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels, size of the adnexal mass, aspects of the image at ultrasound, and color Doppler.

METHODS

Eighty patients were submitted to HSG after tubal pregnancy treatment from April 1994 to February 2002. Fifty received expectant management and 30 were treated with single-dose methotrexate (MTX) (50 mg/m(2) intramuscularly).

RESULTS

The patency of the ipsilateral tube was 84% and 78% after the MTX and expectant treatments, respectively (P > 0.05). After the logistic regression was performed, it was observed that levels of beta-hCG >5000 mUI/ml were directly related to the tubal obstruction risk, odds ratio = 11.79 (95% CI = 2.27-61.32). Other variables were not directly related to the tubal obstruction risk.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the probability of ipsilateral tubal obstruction depends on the beta-hCG levels. The increase in beta-hCG levels is followed by an enhancement in tubal obstruction risk. Therefore, the beta-hCG may be effective for the prognostic of the reproductive future of these patients.

Tubal patency after clinical treatment of unruptured ectopic pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate tubal patency using hysterosalpingography after clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy.

METHOD

Of 80 patients who underwent hysterosalpingography after clinical treatment of tubal pregnancy from April 1994 to February 2002, 30 were treated with a single 50 mg/m(2) dose of methotrexate intramuscularly (n=30) and 50 were followed up expectantly.

RESULTS

Patency of the ipsilateral tube was 84% after methotrexate treatment and 78% after expectant management. In addition, contralateral tubal patency was 97% after methotrexate treatment and 92% after expectant management. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study suggest similar tubal patency rates after methotrexate treatment and expectant management.

Reproductive outcome after methotrexate treatment of tubal pregnancies

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate reproductive outcome after ectopic pregnancy (EP) treated with methotrexate (MTX) and to assess the relative contribution of various risk factors to future fertility.

DESIGN

Telephone follow-up interviews in a cohort of patients treated for EP.

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENT(S)

A cohort of 158 patients treated with MTX for tubal pregnancies between April 1991 and March 1999.

INTERVENTION(S)

Assessment of fertility outcomes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Cumulative pregnancy rates for intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies.

RESULT(S)

Thirty-two patients (20.2%) were lost to follow-up. Of 126 patients, 93 (73.8%) sought to become pregnant, and of these 93 women, 76 (81.7%) did. Sixty-four pregnancies were spontaneous, and 12 resulted from in vitro fertilization (IVF). No pregnancies occurred in the group not trying to become pregnant. Of the 64 spontaneous pregnancies, 52 (81.2%) were intrauterine, with 12 (18.7%) resulting in miscarriages, and 12 (18.7%) were recurrent ectopic pregnancies. The cumulative intrauterine pregnancy rate was 57.5% after 1 year and 66.9% after 2 years. The cumulative ectopic pregnancy rate was 15.4% after 1 year and 23.7% after 2 years. After adjusting for factors associated with fertility with a Cox regression, only one factor was associated with poor reproductive performance: previous history of infertility.

CONCLUSION(S)

Within 1 year of seeking to become pregnant, more than half the women previously treated medically for EP conceived and had ongoing pregnancies. Our analysis indicates that fertility depends more on the patients' previous medical history than on her treatment for EP.

Current issues in medical management of ectopic pregnancy

This review focuses on current medical therapy for unruptured ectopic pregnancy. Recently emerging issues include early diagnosis, treatment costs, intratubal methotrexate injection, medical treatment of cervical and interstitial ectopic pregnancies, and future fertility potential after methotrexate therapy. In addition, new clinical practice guidelines identify optimal candidates for medical therapy.