PURPOSE: to evaluate the epidemiologic data and signs of trophoblastic hyperplasia in patients with complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) and to estimate the risk associated with the persistence of the disease. METHODS:: we evaluated 214 patients with CHM submitted to uterine evacuation between 1980 and 2001. The patients were included prospectively. All patients were followed until negative bHCG with weekly clinical evaluation and bHCG quantification. We considered persistence when the patient needed another treatment after uterine evacuation. The risk factors for persistence were evaluated through univariate and multivariate analysis, and the odds ratio (OR) was calculated for each one. RESULTS: among the epidemiologic factors, only negative Rh was significant (OR=2.28). All signs of trophoblastic hyperplasia, represented by uterine size larger than expected, sonographic uterine volume, tecaluteinic cysts, and betaHCG higher than 10(5) were associated with risk for the presistence of the disease. The presence of at least one sign of trophoblastic hyperplasia showed sensitivity of 82% and predictive positive value of 35.1% (OR=4.8). The logistic regression identified larger uterine size than expected and bHCG higher than 10(5) as risk factors for persistence of the gestational trophoblastic disease (OR=4.1 and 5.5, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: the signs of trophoblastic hyperplasia showed good sensitivity to predict persistence of the disease; however, the low predictive positive value does not allow using these criteria to change treatment. It is very important to reinforce the importance of serial betaHCG quantification in these high-risk patients.
Hydatidiform mole; Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms; Drug therapy; Risk factors
