Is the paternal mononuclear cells' immunization a successful treatment for recurrent spontaneous abortion?
OBJECTIVE
Alloimmunization as a treatment for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is still controversial due to the lack of enough controls to evaluate its effectiveness. The present study was conducted to compare the live birth rate in the presence or absence of immunotherapy.


METHODS
Ninety-two women with RSA (79 primary [PA] and 13 secondary aborters[SA]) received immunotherapy. Thirty-seven RSA couples not receiving paternal alloimmunization, constituted the "control" group.


RESULTS
The pregnancy rate in alloimmunized was 58 vs 46% in the control group. The live birth increased from 71% in the controls to 88% after immunotherapy. The alloimmunization induced mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factors (MLR BFs) in 79% of women. However, they were also present in 83% of immunized women experiencing a new abortion.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that alloimmunization may be useful in the treatment of RSA.
Ramhorst
R
R
División Immunogenética, Hospital de Clínicas, Facultad de Medicina, UBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Agriello
E
E
Zittermann
S
S
Pando
M
M
Larriba
J
J
Irigoyen
M
M
Cortelezzi
M
M
Auge
L
L
Lombardi
E
E
Etchepareborda
J J
JJ
Contreras Ortiz
C
C
Fainboim
L
L
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D014611:Vaccination
D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains