Performance of cervical phIGFBP-1 test alone or combined with short cervical length to predict spontaneous preterm birth in symptomatic women

We aimed to assess the accuracy of cervical phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (phIGFBP-1) test alone or in combination with cervical length (CL), to predict preterm birth (PTB) in symptomatic women. We performed a prospective cohort study from 2012 to 2015 including singleton pregnancies with symptoms of preterm labor, intact membranes and CL < 25 mm at 24–34 weeks of gestation. Studied outcome were spontaneous delivery within 7 and 14 days of testing and spontaneous PTB at <34 and <37 weeks of gestation. Among 180 women, 21 (11.7%) had a positive phIGFBP-1 test. Spontaneous PTB occurred within 7 days, 14 days of testing and before 34 weeks and 37 weeks in 7.8%, 10.6%, 12.9% and 28.8%, respectively. The phIGFBP-1 test had a low predictive performance for all studied outcomes varying for positive likelihood ratios (2.8 to 3.4) and negative likelihood ratios (0.8). Combining phIGFBP-1 and CL did not increase its predictive ability. After adjustment, positive phIGFBP-1 test was no more independently associated with a delivery within 7 days (p = 0.55), unlike CL < 15 mm (p = 0.04). In conclusion, phIGFBP-1 test alone or in combination with CL has a low predictive accuracy to predict PTB in symptomatic women.