title: Haemostatic and metabolic abnormalities in women with unexplained recurrent abortion.
abstract: The objective of this study was to establish whether or not patients with unexplained recurrent abortion have an increased incidence of haemostatic or metabolic abnormalities. Fifty-two patients with a history of unexplained habitual abortion (two or more spontaneous abortions before 16 weeks' gestation) were tested for protein S, protein C and antithrombin (AT) III deficiency, activated protein C (aPC) resistance, hyperhomocysteinaemia and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA). The control group consisted of 67 healthy women with a history of only uncomplicated pregnancies. Blood samples were taken for measuring protein S, protein C, AT III, ACA and activated protein C resistance and a methionine loading test was performed. Of the 46 patients tested for protein S deficiency, 8 (17.4%) were positive. Of the 43 patients tested, two (4.7%) were protein C deficient and none was AT III deficient. Of the 42 patients tested for ACA, eight (19.1%) had detectable antibodies. Of the 44 patients tested for aPC resistance, two (4.6%) were positive. Finally, 35 patients were tested for hyperhomocysteinaemia and six (17.1%) were positive. It was concluded that parous women with a history of unexplained recurrent abortion have an increased incidence of hyperhomocysteinaemia and a trend of increased incidence of ACA can be found.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Coumans
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huijgens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jakobs
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schats
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: van Pampus
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000032:analysis; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011486:Protein C / Q000502:physiology; D020151:Protein C Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D018455:Protein S Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D011486:Protein C