Detection of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-11 in plasma from women with spontaneous abortion

Objective: To investigate the role of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-11 in the immune-r egulatory mechanisms involved in the spontaneous abortion of the first trim ester of pregnancy. Study Design: Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-11 we re determined in 68 women who had a spontaneous abortion of unknown aetiolo gy during the first trimester of pregnancy. They were compared with the cor responding levels of 73 age-matched pregnant women who had an uneventful pr egnancy, and 52 age-matched non-pregnant women. All enrolled women presente d without any severe disease, syndrome or recent infection. Cytokine levels were measured by a sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay. Results: The women with spontaneous abortion had significantly decreased plasma leve ls of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-11 compared to those with normal pregnancies (P < 0 .05). The non-pregnant women had no detectable cytokine levels. Conclusions : The reduced plasma levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-11 in women with spontaneo us abortion may be related to the underlying aetiopathogenetic mechanisms, however, there is no sufficient evidence for their use as predictive marker s of pregnancy outcome. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights r eserved.