Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia with acupoint injection for labor anesthesia reduces IL-1ß/IL-10 ratio in maternal peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and improves the labor outcomes: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) with acupoint injection (AI) on the maternal-fetal expression of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-10 (IL-10), analgesia effect, and labor outcomes. METHODS: A total of 360 healthy primiparas were randomized into the CSEA+AI group, the CSEA group, the AI group, and the control group (n = 90, each group) according to the labor analgesia methods. RESULTS: Compared to the CSEA group, the CSEA+AI group had significantly lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores, adverse events, dose of ropivacaine/sufentanil, and shorter labor durations. The IL-1ß/IL-10 ratio in maternal peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood was reduced in the CSEA+AI group compared with the CSEA group. CONCLUSION: The combination of CSEA and AI can reduce the ratio of IL-1ß/ IL-10 in maternal peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood, which can effectively relieve labor pain.