Prevalence of autoantibodies in patients with recurrent miscarriages

PROBLEM: It is well known that the prevalence of several autoantibodies is higher in patients with recurrent miscarriages than in normal women. Howeve r, links between individual autoantibodies are unclear. The present study f ocuses on the possible association between beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2-GP I)-dependant anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), lupus anticoagulant (LA), and antinuclear antibody (ANA) in patients with recurrent miscarriages. METHOD OF STUDY: Three hundred and one patients, with a history of two or m ore unexplained miscarriages, were studied. The titers of beta 2-GPI-depend ent aCL and LA were then compared between single-antibody-positive and thre e-antibody-positive groups. RESULTS: The prevalences of beta 2-GPI-dependant aCL, LA, and ANA were 3.3, 10.0, and 25.2%, respectively. Four of the 301 patients had all three anti bodies. The LA titers in patients with positive values for three antibodies was significantly higher than in cases with only LA. CONCLUSION: beta 2-GPI-dependent aCL, LA, and ANA define three distinct, bu t partly related populations in patients with recurrent miscarriage. We sho uld test at least two kinds of autoantibodies in recurrent aborters, becaus e it has been found that, e.g., beta 2-GPI-dependent aCL and LA are predict ors for miscarriages.