title: Prevalence and role of antithrombin III, protein C and protein S deficiencies and activated protein C resistance in Kosovo women with recurrent pregnancy loss during the first trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have reported that thrombophilia is responsible for recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and role of inherited thrombophilia in early pregnancy loss, specifically in the first trimester.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 104 women (patients) with a history of two or more miscarriages during the first trimester of pregnancy and 110 women (controls) who had experienced two or more births without a miscarriage were included in this study. In both groups, we determined the biological activities of antithrombin III (ATIII) and protein C (PC) using the chromogenic method and the biological activity of protein S (PS) and the activated protein C resistance (APCR) were examined using a clotting method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patient group, deficiencies of ATIII, PC, and PS were detected in 3 (2.88%), 4 (3.85%), and 6 (5.77%) cases, respectively. In the control group, ATIII (0%) deficiencies were not detected, and deficiencies for PC (0.9%) and PS (0.9%) were each detected in 1 patient. APCR was detected in 9 patients (8.65%) and 4 control subjects (3.63%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, we can conclude that thrombophilia is a causal factor for miscarriages in the first trimester of pregnancy, although there are the conflicting data in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo; Department of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, National Blood Transfusion Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Ymer
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mekaj
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Shefqet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lulaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, National Blood Transfusion Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Fetie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daci
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rafuna
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Ermira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miftari
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo; Department of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, National Blood Transfusion Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Hakif
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoxha
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, National Blood Transfusion Center of Kosovo, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Xhemile
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sllamniku
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Agon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mekaj
keywords: Activated protein C resistance; antithrombin III; early pregnancy loss; protein C; protein S; repeated miscarriages; thrombophilia