Anti-thyroid antibodies and antiphospholipid syndrome: evidence of reduced fecundity and of poor pregnancy outcome in recurrent spontaneous aborters.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence of anti-thyroid antibodies in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) [antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) + recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA)], compare APS alone with APS and thyroid autoimmunity for fecundity and for pregnancy outcome.


METHODS
A total of 203 non-pregnant women affected with primary APS were evaluated for anti-thyroid antibodies; 162 non-pregnant women affected with RSA and thyroid autoimmunity alone served as controls.


RESULTS
Anti-thyroid antibodies were found in 27% of APS patients studied. Patients with aPL alone had higher percentages of spontaneous pregnancies (P < 0.0001) and live births (P = 0.0003), when compared with patients positive for anti-thyroid antibodies alone or with aPL.


CONCLUSIONS
Thyroid autoimmunity is frequently present in APS recurrent aborters and is often associated with either reduced fecundity or with poor pregnancy outcome. Thyroid antibodies should always be evaluated in women with RSA including those with aPL.
De Carolis
Caterina
C
UO (Center) for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion, ASL RMC, Rome, Italy.
Greco
Elisabetta
E
Guarino
Maria D
MD
Perricone
Carlo
C
Dal Lago
Alessandro
A
Giacomelli
Roberto
R
Fontana
Luigi
L
Perricone
Roberto
R
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D001323:Autoantibodies