Terbutaline versus salbutamol for suppression of preterm labor: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Preterm labor (PTL) is a common medical problem during pregnancies and is associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity Ben adrenergic agonists are among the most commonly used tocolytic agents The aim of this study was to comp-ire the effectiveness safety and adverse effects of terbutaline with those of salbutamol in the prolongation of pregnancy beyond 48 hours and until 37 weeks of gestation PATIENTS AND METHODS Two hundred women with PTL were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous terbutaline (250 jig) or intravenous salbutamol (0 1 mg) followed by oral terbutaline (20 mg/d) or oral salbuta mol (24 mid) maintenance The efficacy). side affects and complications after 48 hours and until 37 weeks of gestation were analyzed and compared RESULTS There was no significant difference between the two groups in success rate within 48 hours (P = 091) Gestational age at delivery (P = 031) and the number of days tor which the gestation was prolonged (P = 024) were significantly higher in those receiving terbutaline Adverse effects including tat hycardia (P = 007) and anxiety (P = 006) were experienced more in the silbutamol group Birth weight was significantly lower in the salbutamol group (P = 001) CONCLUSION Terbutaline provided more effective tocolysis with fewer adverse effects and a better neonatal outcome However terbutaline and salbutamol are equally effective in the first 48 hours