Predictors of treatment failure of tubal pregnancy with single-dose methotrexate regimen – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Bibliographic Details
Title: Predictors of treatment failure of tubal pregnancy with single-dose methotrexate regimen – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lili Tang, Sipei Nie, Ling Ling, Qian Zhu
Source: Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Vol 45, Iss 1 (2025)
Publisher Information: Taylor & Francis Group, 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: LCC:Gynecology and obstetrics
Subject Terms: Tubal pregnancy, single-dose regimen, methotrexate, meta analysis, Gynecology and obstetrics, RG1-991
More Details: Background Ectopic pregnancies represent a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, with 95% being tubal. This meta-analysis aimed to identify early predictors for single-dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment failure in tubal pregnancies.Methods A literature search was conducted across several databases from their inception to December 2023, with references in the selected studies manually reviewed. 14 studies involving 2,804 patients were included in this meta-analysis.Results The results revealed that higher serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels on Day 1 (SMD = 1.25, 95% CI 0.73–1.77), foetal cardiac activity presence (OR = 12.64, 95% CI 3.15–50.75), adnexal mass presence (OR = 4.66, 95% CI 2.02–10.74), yolk sac presence (OR = 5.35, 95% CI 2.33–12.27), thicker endometrium (MD = 1.74, 95% CI 0.30–3.19), more number of previous ectopic pregnancies (MD = 0.21, 95% CI 0.13–0.30), history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (OR = 3.97, 95% CI 2.02–7.79), higher progesterone levels on Day 1 (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI 0.07–0.36), a higher 48-hour pre-treatment increment in serum β-hCG percentage (MD = 11.46, 95% CI 2.95–19.98), and a higher percentage of serum β-hCG change from Day 4 to Day 0/1 (SMD = 2.58, 95% CI 1.02–4.14) were early predictive factors for treatment failure of tubal pregnancy with the MTX single-dose regimen.Conclusions This review clarifies early predictive factors for treatment failure with the MTX single-dose regimen in tubal pregnancies. High-risk tubal pregnancies likely to fail MTX monotherapy could be identified earlier, allowing for personalised intervention measures to be implemented at an early stage to prevent harm and improve treatment outcomes.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 01443615
1364-6893
0144-3615
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/0144-3615; https://doaj.org/toc/1364-6893
DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2024.2447997
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/a9813ec64e1241d98b21eb152285b88b
Accession Number: edsdoj.9813ec64e1241d98b21eb152285b88b
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:01443615
13646893
DOI:10.1080/01443615.2024.2447997
Published in:Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Language:English