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Diagnostic and Prognostic Significance of Anticardiolipin Antibodies in Patients With Recurrent Spontaneous Abortions
Author(s) -
MELK A.,
MUELLERECKHARDT G.,
POLTEN B.,
LATTERMANN A.,
HEINE O.,
HOFFMANN O.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1995.tb00889.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , anticardiolipin antibodies , antibody , obstetrics , gynecology , immunology , genetics , biology
PROBLEM : The role of ACA in unexplained RSA is controversial. In the present study, diagnostic and prognostic aspects were investigated. METHOD : One hundred five nonpregnant patients with primary, 29 with secondary RSA, and 209 controls were investigated for IgG‐ACA. Follow‐up studies were done during pregnancy in 76 individuals. IgM‐ACA were tested in a subset of patients. RESULTS : Elevated ACA levels were significantly more frequent in both patient groups (26 and 24%) than in controls (16%). However, there was no correlation of ACA with various parameters including pregnancy outcome. In ACA‐positive patients with successful pregnancy a significant decrease of ACA values during pregnancy was observed, while ACA remained high in aborting patients. IgG‐ and IgM‐ACA correlated well. CONCLUSIONS : Although the data from nonpregnant RSA patients does not allow diagnostic or prognostic conclusions to be drawn, sequential testing of ACA‐positive individuals provides the possibility to foresee pregnancy outcome.