Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 1079-1082, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
H Mohapeloa, OB Christiansen and N Grunnet
The release of certain cytokines, e.g. tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha,
in the amniotic fluid has been suggested to be a cause of preterm birth.
The predisposition to excessive liberation of cytokines from peripheral
leukocytes has been shown to depend partly on the individual's HLA-DR
genotype. The HLA-DR1 and -DR3 alleles have previously been reported as
being associated with a TNF-alpha high responder status and have also been
associated with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions. In the present
study, HLA-DR typing was performed in 10 women who had experienced
recurrent very early preterm births resulting in perinatal death, or late
spontaneous abortions under a clinical picture resembling that
traditionally attributed to cervical incompetence. All patients had had at
least one mid-trimester miscarriage in spite of the insertion of a cervical
cerclage. Nine out of 10 (90%) patients had the HLA-DR phenotypes DR1
and/or DR3 compared with 37% in the background population (P < 0.005).
The results suggest that HLA-DR-associated immunological factors might play
a part in recurrent late spontaneous abortions and extremely preterm births
under a cervical incompetence-like picture, at least in the subset of cases
not treatable by cervical cerclage.
ARTICLES
HLA-DR typing of women with recurrent late spontaneous abortion and unsuccessful cervical cerclage
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.
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