Diagnostic and prognostic significance of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions.
OBJECTIVE
The role of ACA in unexplained RSA is controversial. In the present study, diagnostic and prognostic aspects were investigated.


METHODS
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.
Melk
A
A
Institute for Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
Mueller-Eckhardt
G
G
Polten
B
B
Lattermann
A
A
Heine
O
O
Hoffmann
O
O
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011379:Prognosis
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M