Inflammation as a marker for cervical shortening.

Comparison of eleven cervico-vaginal fluid cytokine concentrations up to 24 weeks of gestation in controls (women with cervical measurements ≥25 mm, n = 42) and cases (women who develop a short cervix, including data up until the day a short cervix was detected, but prior to receiving randomised treatment; n = 36). Ratios of geometric means are shown.Estimates are adjusted for systematic changes with gestation and (using a pooled assay) for differences between individual assay plates. A random effects estimator is used to allow for multiple measurements per woman.Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon (IFN)-γ, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1β, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α.