C. Battaglia et al., Increased anticardiolipin antibodies are positively related to the uterineartery pulsatility index in unexplained infertility, HUM REPR, 13(12), 1998, pp. 3487-3491
The objective of the study was to evaluate, in patients with unexplained in
fertilty, the possible relationship between anticardiolipin antibodies and
indices of uterine artery Doppler measurements, A total of 46 infertile wom
en participated in the study and underwent ovarian stimulation. Transvagina
l ultrasonography and colour Doppler were performed on the day of embryo tr
ansfer and patients were divided on the basis of pulsatility index (PI): gr
oup I, PI <2.5; group II, PI 2.5-3.0; and group III, PI >3.0. On the same d
ay that Doppler analysis took place, peripheral blood was obtained and circ
ulating anticardiolipin antibodies were assayed. The response to ovarian st
imulation was similar in the three studied groups. No significant differenc
es in oestradiol and ultrasonographic parameters were observed between the
groups, A significant increase in anticardiolipin antibodies was observed i
n those patients with higher resistance to flow at the level of the uterine
artery. A significant relationship was found between the uterine artery PI
and anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G class (F = 14.35; P = 0.001), and imm
unoglobulin M class (F = 5.88; P = 0.020). It is concluded that, in unexpla
ined infertility, anticardiolipin antibodies may be involved in uterine vas
cular modifications and that Doppler bow analysis of uterine arteries may b
e an important tool in the assessment and management of ovarian stimulation
.