SPERM, NUCLEAR, PHOSPHOLIPID, AND RED-BLOOD-CELL ANTIBODIES AND ISOTYPE RF IN INFERTILE COUPLES AND PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC DISEASES

PROBLEM: To determine if measuring of non-organ-specific autoantibodie s is useful for better understanding and management of unexplained inf ertility. METHODS: Sera were obtained from 70 infertile couples, 57 rh eumatic patients, and 76 fertile donors. Sperm antibodies (SA) were de tected by the tests of Kibrick and Friberg, anti-histones, anti-cardio lipin antibodies, and RF isotypes by ELISA, antinuclear antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence, and anti-red blood cell antibodies by Cap ture-R. RESULTS: Multiple autoimmune reactivity (both partners positiv e and/or more than one type of autoantibody involved), higher than nat urally occurring in fertile individuals, was found in 55% of the idiop athically infertile couples. IgA-RF was the dominant autoimmune marker . SA revealed similar rates in patients with rheumatic diseases and in infertiles with or without other autoantibodies. CONCLUSION: Although no single autoimmunity marker could predict occurrence of SA, the coi ncidence of enhanced polyclonal autoimmunity in both partners of infer tile couples might potentiate their negative effect on reproduction.