title: Abnormal IL-2 receptor levels in non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunological abnormalities have been found in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. This study compared interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) levels in non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage with those found in serum from a non-pregnant group with no such history.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group 1 comprised 49 non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage (at least three consecutive miscarriages). Group 2 comprised 22 non-pregnant women with no history of miscarriage. Serum IL-2R levels were measured in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results obtained showed that although all women were not pregnant at the time of sampling, IL-2R levels were significantly higher in women in Group 1 compared with those in Group 2 (1589 +/- 1289 versus 1082 +/- 823 pg/ml; P < 0.05). Follow-up data were available for 21 women from Group 1. The next pregnancy ended successfully for 14 of these women, while seven miscarried again. The IL-2R levels obtained pre-pregnancy were not significantly different between the two groups (1480 +/- 910 versus 1356 +/- 716 pg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has shown that non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage have raised IL-2R levels. These increased pre-pregnancy IL-2R levels did not necessarily predict miscarriage for the next pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: University Departments of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, UK. gcl025@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Maclean
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2