PROSPECTIVE STUDIES OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODY AND OUTCOME OF PREGNANCY

Objective: To investigate the association of anticardiolipin antibody with the genesis of spontaneous abortion, fetal growth restriction (FG R), and preeclampsia. Methods: Eight hundred sixty pregnant women cons tituted the study population. Anticardiolipin antibody was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay during the first trimester of pregn ancy. The outcome of pregnancy in these women was analyzed prospective ly, and the rate of occurrence of spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, and FGR was compared in the anticardiolipin antibody-positive and -neg ative groups. Results: Anticardiolipin antibody was positive in 60 of the 860 women (7.0%) and negative in 800 (93.0%). The rate of spontane ous abortions in the anticardiolipin antibody-positive group, 25.0%, w as significantly higher than that in the anticardiolipin antibody-nega tive group, at 9.8% (P < .001; relative risk [RR] 2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37-4.81). The rates of preeclampsia (11.7%) and FGR ( 11.7%) in the anticardiolipin antibody-positive group were also signif icantly higher than those in the -negative group (1.9 and 1.9%, respec tively; for preeclampsia, P < .001; RR 6.22, 95% CI 2.43-16.0 and for FGR, P < .001; RR 6.22, 95% CI 2.43-16.0). Conclusion: Anticardiolipin antibody is associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy such as spo ntaneous abortion, preeclampsia, and FGR.