ANTICARDIOLIPIN AND ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH UNEXPLAINED RECURRENT ABORTIONS

In a controlled study on a resident population in Kuwait, 103 patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions were investigated fo r the frequency of positive tests for anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA). The frequency of ACA was significan tly (P <0.001) higher in patients (32.0%) than in controls (7.1%). Onl y four patients (3.8%,) were positive for both IgG and IgM ACA. The fr equency of positive tests for ANA was also significantly (P <0.001) hi gher in patients (13.6%) than in controls (1.2%). No difference was fo und between first and second trimester aborters in the frequency of po sitive tests for either ACA or ANA. Primary aborters did not differ fr om secondary aborters in the frequency of ACA. However, secondary abor ters had significantly higher frequency of ANA. There was no concordan ce between ACA and ANA positive tests. These results suggest that ACA may be associated with some cases of unexplained recurrent abortions a nd that tests for both IgG and IgM isotypes should be carried out in t he investigations of these patients.