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Evidence of a T(H) 1 type response associated with recurrent miscarriage
Objective:
To determine whether the T(H) 1 cytokine interferon (IFN)-gamma is associated with miscarriage whereas the T(H) 2 cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 is associated with successful pregnancy.
Design:
Controlled clinical study.
Setting:
Healthy volunteers in an academic setting.
Patient(S):
Group 1 comprised 10 nonpregnant women; group 2, 10 first-trimester primigravid women; group 3, 10 first-trimester primigravid women suffering spontaneous abortion; and group 4, 10 first-trimester pregnant women with a history of miscarriage. All women were pregnant at the time of sampling, but 5 miscarried later in the first trimester.
Intervention(S):
None of the patients received any medication.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Serum levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma.
Result(S):
Levels of IL-10 were significantly raised in normal pregnancy. Levels of IFN-gamma were raised in the recurrent-miscarriage group as compared with normal pregnancy. When patients in group 4 were divided into those whose pregnancies went to term and those who miscarried, we found that successful pregnancy was associated with a statistically significant increase in IL-10, whereas miscarriage was associated with significantly increased levels of IFN-gamma.
Conclusion(S):
These results support the view that miscarriage is associated with a T(H) 1 type response.