Effect of Centrifugation on Amniotic Fluid Gram Stain
Author Information
Author(s): Daniel W. Gauthier, Wilfredo Torres, William J. Meyer, Barbara G. Lewis, Michael O. Vernon, William M. Janda
Primary Institution: University of Illinois College of Medicine
Hypothesis
Does centrifugation improve the ability of amniotic fluid Gram stain to detect bacteria?
Conclusion
Centrifugation of amniotic fluid increases the bacterial detection rate of Gram stain at low bacterial concentrations.
Supporting Evidence
- Centrifugation significantly improved detection rates at bacterial concentrations <104 cfu/ml.
- At concentrations >10^5 cfu/ml, centrifugation did not improve detection rates.
- Detection rates were similar to previous studies, but this study focused on low bacterial counts.
Takeaway
Centrifuging the fluid from pregnant women can help doctors find bacteria better when there are only a few present.
Methodology
Amniotic fluid samples were pooled and tested with and without centrifugation to compare bacterial detection rates.
Potential Biases
Potential for false positives due to cellular debris in amniotic fluid.
Limitations
The study used pure bacterial cultures and excluded samples with white blood cells, which may not reflect real clinical conditions.
Participant Demographics
Patients with preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes between 24 and 34 weeks gestational age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
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