Relevance of declines in serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels to the management of persistent ectopic pregnancy

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate postoperative declines in serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels (percentages of preoperative hCG levels) to rule out persistent ectopic pregnancy (PEP).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic salpingotomy between April 1995 and March 2008. The postoperative course was divided into four periods: (period A: days 1-2; period B: days 3-4; period C: days 5-6; and period D: days 7-8), and the postoperative serum hCG declines in the PEP and control groups (successfully treated patients) were compared. A cutoff value of serum hCG decline to rule out PEP was established by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results: Ten of the 50 patients (20%) were diagnosed with PEP. There were no differences in clinical findings or preoperative serum hCG levels between the two groups. From period C, the serum hCG decline in the control group was significantly greater than in the PEP group, and all individual serum hCG declines in the PEP group were outside the 95% confidence interval of the control group. Furthermore, analysis by ROC using a 14% decline in postoperative serum hCG as a cutoff revealed that the specificity and sensitivity of the test were equal to 100% from period C.

Conclusion: Declines in serum hCG during period C (days 5-6) constitute an important marker of the presence or absence of PEP. Decisions regarding a second intervention for PEP should be made by this time postoperatively.