Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38808114›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2024

Changes of serum cortisol during pregnancy and labor initiation: an onsite cross-sectional study.

Yujuan Chai, Hairong Wang, Daiyu Tang, Yi Wu, Zhonghao Sun, Yuping Zeng, Binmao Zhang, Ben Niu, Xiaojing Dong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Measurement of Hair Cortisol Throughout Gestation.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yujuan ChaiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Hairong WangGreater Bay Area International Institute for Innovation, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Daiyu TangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
Yi WuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Zhonghao SunDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Yuping ZengDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Binmao ZhangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Ben NiuDepartment of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Xiaojing DongDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Increased maternal cortisol secretion has been observed during pregnancy and labor. However, due to the limitations in diagnostic methods, the dynamic change of cortisol during the short period between threatened labor and labor is unknown. In this study, we aim to evaluate the changes in serum cortisol during late pregnancy and full-term labor initiation, verifying if cortisol could serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of labor initiation from threatened labor. Methods: This cross-sectional onsite study involved 564 participants of 6 different gestational stages (C: Control; T1: Trimester 1; T3: Trimester 3; E: expectant; TL: threatened labor; L: labor), all patients in the E, TL, and L groups were at full term. The serum cortisol concentration was quantified with a point-of-care test (POCT), and the gestation, age, parity, and BMI of participants were documented. Morning serum cortisol was collected between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., except for the TL and L group women who were tested upon arrival or during latent labor. With cortisol levels or all five variables, L was distinguished from TL using machine learning algorithms. Results: Significant elevation of cortisol concentration was observed between T1 and T3, or TL and L group (P< 0.001). Women belonging to the E and TL group showed similar gestation week and cortisol levels. Diagnosis of labor initiation using cortisol levels (cutoff = 21.46 μg/dL) yielded sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 86.50%, 88.60%, and 0.934. With additional variables, a higher specificity (89.29%) was achieved. The diagnostic accuracy of all methods ranged from 85.93% to 87.90%. Conclusion: Serum cortisol could serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosis of L form TL. The rapid onsite detection of serum cortisol with POCT could facilitate medical decision-making for admission and special treatments, either as an additional parameter or when other technical platforms are not available.

Indexed as

BiomarkersHydrocortisoneAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGestational AgeHumansLabor, ObstetricLabor OnsetPregnancyYoung AdultBiomarkersHydrocortisonediagnosis of laborlabor initiationpoint-of-care testingserum cortisolthreatened labor

Identifiers

PMID38808114
PMCPMC11130462

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.