title: Prophylactic therapy for patients with reproductive failure who were positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the efficacy of the treatment using a Japanese-modified Chinese herbal medicine, Sairei-to, and low-dose aspirin with or without a corticosteroid hormone for the patients with adverse pregnancy histories positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen cases positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies, who had experienced preterm delivery in which an extremely low birthweight infant (<1000 g) was born as a result of intrauterine growth restriction with or without severe preeclampsia, were treated with the medication according to the current protocol. Four cases with the same condition, who were treated with only low-dose aspirin, or without medication, were chosen as a control population. The pregnancy outcome was compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of patients in whom the next pregnancy continued until the 36th week of gestation or later was significantly higher in treated patients (80.0%) compared with the control population (0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series, we obtained case report data that Sairei-to may provide some benefit for patients with reproductive disorders positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies; however, randomized controlled trial evidence is needed before current treatment can be recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University School of Medicine, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata 951-8510, Japan. obgy@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ooki
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C080903:sairei-to; D011239:Prednisolone; D001241:Aspirin