Autoantibodies and Prediction of Reproductive Failure

• Published in: American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) Vol. 56; no. 5-6; pp. 337 - 344
• Main Authors: Shoenfeld, Yehuda, Carp, Howard J. A., Molina, Vered, Blank, Miri, Cervera, Ricard, Balasch, Juan, Tincani, Angela, Faden, David, Lojacono, Andrea, Doria, Andrea, Konova, Emiliana, Meroni, Per Luigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2006
• Subjects: Abortion, Spontaneous - immunology; Anti-phospholipid antibodies; anti-prothrombin; anti-saccharomycetes cerevisiae antibodies; Autoantibodies - immunology; autoimmunity; Female; Humans; infertility; Infertility, Female - immunology; recurrent pregnancy loss
• ISSN: 1046-7408; 1600-0897
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2006.00434.x

Problem  To determine which autoantibodies are associated with reproductive failure. Method of study  Sera from 269 patients with autoimmune disease and/or reproductive failure were analyzed for anti‐phospholipid (aPL), anti‐annexin‐V, anti‐lactoferrin, anti‐thyroglobulin, anti‐thyroid peroxidase, anti‐prothrombin, anti‐nuclear, and anti‐saccharomycetes cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA), by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were classified as: recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), infertility, and autoimmune diseases. The results were compared with those of 120 healthy volunteers. Results  In autoimmune diseases, the prevalence of anti‐prothrombin, anti‐annexin, anti‐phospholipid and anti‐nuclear antibodies was significantly higher than in the control group, OR 11.0 [CI, 3.5–35.2], 33 [CI, 7.2–174.2], 13 [CI, 1.4–309.7], and 16.1 [CI 2.4–122], respectively. In infertility, the antibodies with significantly higher levels than controls were: aPL OR, 5.11 [CI 1.2–25.4], and anti‐prothrombin antibodies, OR, 5.15 [CI, 2.1–12.7]. In RPL, ASCA, anti‐prothrombin and aPL were more prevalent than in controls, OR 3.9 [CI, 1.5–10.6], 5.4 [CI, 2.4–12.5] and 4.8[CI, 1.2–22.2] for each antibody, respectively. Anti‐prothrombin antibodies and aPL were more significantly associated with late pregnancy losses than early losses. Conclusion  ASCA antibodies have not previously been described in RPL. Nor are anti‐prothrombin antibodies usually assessed in infertility or RPL. If these results are confirmed in further studies, these antibodies might be assessed routinely in reproductive failure.