title: Alloimmune and autoimmune background in recurrent pregnancy loss - successful immunotherapy by intravenous immunoglobulin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immunotherapies [leukocyte immunization, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)] introduced to treat women with recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA) have still controversial results in most clinical trials. A selection of these patients would be advantageous for higher efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A complex immunological panel assay was offered to patients with reproductive failure without any other known cause. We focused here on the cellular immunological parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor frequency and cell-mediated cytotoxic activity and a rather high natural killer cell activity were found in alloimmune RSA patients. Thirty-two patients were investigated by immunological assays and in 78% of the women an alloimmune background could be defined. The efficacy of IVIG treatment was 96% in this group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The novel cellular immunological assays proved to be favourable for the indication of RSA patients and showed the usefulness of this selection process for effective immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: National Medical Center, Institute of Haematology and Immunology, Budapest, Hungary. kotlanb@netscape.net
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kotlan
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padanyi
authors.forename: Jozsef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Batorfi
authors.forename: Vilmos
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fulop
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szigetvari
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajczy
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Penzes
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gyodi
authors.forename: Marienne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reti
authors.forename: Gyozo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petranyi
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015551:Autoimmunity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007518:Isoantibodies; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007518:Isoantibodies