Biomaterial Database

Ritodrine hydrochloride: a betamimetic agent for use in preterm labor. II. Evidence of efficacy. 1980

I R Merkatz, and J B Peter, and T P Barden

In a multicenter series of randomized prospective double-blind controlled studies, ritodrine hydrochloride was compared with either ethanol or placebo in treatment of idiopathic preterm labor. When compared with controls, there was, among offspring of ritodrine-treated mothers, a significantly reduced incidence of neonatal death and respiratory distress syndrome (P less than .05 in both comparisons) and a significantly higher proportion of infants achieving 36 weeks' gestation (P less than .05) or birth weight greater than 2500 g (P less than .05). There was also a significant improvement in gestational age at delivery (P less than .05) and in the number of days gained in utero (P less than .001) among ritodrine-treated patients as compared with controls. These results, coupled with a finding of generally acceptable side effects, have contributed to ritodrine's becoming the first drug approved for the treatment of preterm labor in the United States.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007226	Infant Mortality	Postnatal deaths from BIRTH to 365 days after birth in a given population. Postneonatal mortality represents deaths between 28 days and 365 days after birth (as defined by National Center for Health Statistics). Neonatal mortality represents deaths from birth to 27 days after birth.	Neonatal Mortality,Mortality, Infant,Postneonatal Mortality,Infant Mortalities,Mortalities, Infant,Mortalities, Neonatal,Mortalities, Postneonatal,Mortality, Neonatal,Mortality, Postneonatal,Neonatal Mortalities,Postneonatal Mortalities
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007752	Obstetric Labor, Premature	Onset of OBSTETRIC LABOR before term (TERM BIRTH) but usually after the FETUS has become viable. In humans, it occurs sometime during the 29th through 38th week of PREGNANCY. TOCOLYSIS inhibits premature labor and can prevent the BIRTH of premature infants (INFANT, PREMATURE).	Preterm Labor,Labor, Premature,Premature Labor,Premature Obstetric Labor,Labor, Premature Obstetric,Labor, Preterm
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011412	Propanolamines	AMINO ALCOHOLS containing the propanolamine (NH2CH2CHOHCH2) group and its derivatives.	Aminopropanols
D012127	Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn	A condition of the newborn marked by DYSPNEA with CYANOSIS, heralded by such prodromal signs as dilatation of the alae nasi, expiratory grunt, and retraction of the suprasternal notch or costal margins, mostly frequently occurring in premature infants, children of diabetic mothers, and infants delivered by cesarean section, and sometimes with no apparent predisposing cause.	Infantile Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Infant
D001724	Birth Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D004311	Double-Blind Method	A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment.	Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D005260	Female		Females