Abnormal cytokine levels in non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.
OBJECTIVE
To compare cytokine levels in serum from non-pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage with those found in non-pregnant women with no such history.


METHODS
Two patient groups were enrolled into the study. Group 1 comprised 25 non-pregnant women with no history of recurrent miscarriage. Group 2 comprised 50 non-pregnant women who had a history of at least three previous miscarriages. Fifteen of these women have since become pregnant again--10 had a successful pregnancy and five miscarried. Serum levels of IL-4, IFN gamma, IL-12 and IL-18 were measured.


RESULTS
Results showed IFN gamma ( 0.68 +/- 0.72 versus 0.45 +/- 0.29 P < 0.05) and IL-12 levels (66 +/- 25 versus 51 +/- 24 P < 0.05) were significantly higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1. Levels of IL-18 were significantly lower in Group 2 patients (318 +/- 140 versus 246 +/- 219 P < 0.05). Of the 15 women who became pregnant, those who miscarried again had significantly higher IL-18 levels when not pregnant than those women whose next pregnancies went successfully to term (547 +/- 20 versus 274 +/- 129 P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that women with a history of recurrent miscarriage can have abnormal cytokine expression even when not pregnant. This may influence the potential for future successful immune modulatory therapy.
Wilson
Rhoda
R
University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 10 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK. gcl025@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
Jenkins
Carol
C
Miller
Helen
H
McInnes
Iain B
IB
Moore
Judith
J
McLean
Marjorie A
MA
Walker
James J
JJ
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma