[Effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in treating unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion and its effect on the level of serum soluble human leucocyte antigen G].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in treating patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) and the effect of IVIG on the level of soluble human leucocyte antigen G (sHLA-G).


METHODS
This prospective trial conducted at PUMC Hospital between 2004 and 2008 included 60 women with URSA. The patients were allocated into IVIG group (30 cases) and control group (30 cases). IVIG was intravenously used before conception at a dose of 0.2g/kg; once pregnancy was confirmed,IVIG was continued every 4 weeks till the 20th gestational week. Traditional Chinese medicine or/and progesterone were used in control group. The outcome of pregnancy was evaluated by live birth rate and effective rate(defined as the embryo living 4 week longer than previous pregnancy). Serum samples were collected randomly before pregnancy and in the 6th-8th gestational week from IVIG group (15 samples),control group (15 samples),and healthy women (20 samples). The levels of sHLA-G,interferon γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
The pregnancy rate was 93.3% in IVIG group. The live birth rate and effective rate were 85.7% (24/28) and 92.9% (26/28) in IVIG group,which were significantly higher than those in control group [56.7% (17/30) (P=0.021) and 63.3% (19/30) (P=0.011)]. Emesis occurred in one woman (3.3%) in IVIG group had during IVIG infusion but was relieved by lowering the speed of infusion. The mean sHLA-G level was (61.37∓35.57) U/ml in control group and (62.70∓37.24) U/ml in IVIG group (P>0.05); both of them were significantly lower than that of healthy women (88.49∓25.37) U/ml (Pü0.05). After pregnancy was achieved, the levels of sHLA-G and IL-10 were (34.19∓14.21) U/ml and (11.71∓2.75) pg/ml, respectively in the IVIG group, which were significantly higher than those in control group [(23.71∓12.83) U/ml and (8.71∓3.01) pg/ml, respectively] (P=0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose IVIG before and after pregnancy is a safe and effective in treating URSA. IVIG improves the development of fetus by up-regulating sHLA-G and IL-10 levels.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Xiao-guang
XG
Sun
Xin-yan
XY
Liu
Rui
R
Zhu
Guang-sheng
GS
Fan
Ying
Y
Zhang
Feng-ling
FL
Chen
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous