Autoantibody panel screening in recurrent miscarriages

Antiphospholipid autoantibodies (aPL), antithyroid antibodies and anti-extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA) have all been reported to be associated with recurrent miscarriages (RM) and infertility. However, this association remained controversial.

Fifty-eight women with impaired fertility (38 women with RM and 20 women with infertility, but no miscarriages) and 28 control parous women were screened for seven autoantibodies [antithyroglobulin (aTG), antithyroid peroxidase (aTPO), anticardiolipin (aCL), antiphosphatidyl-serine (aPS), antiprothrombin antibodies (aPT), anti-beta 2 glycoprotein 1 (abeta2GP1), and anti-ENA]. There was no evidence for autoimmune diseases in the patients or the control. The analysis was also performed with several panels of autoantibodies, each of which contained two or more autoantibodies.

Anti-TPO was the only antibody to be associated with RM (P = 0.01). A significant association was found between RM, and autoantibodies in the 'aTG + aTPO + anti-ENA' or 'aTG + aTPO' panels. The 'aTG + aTPO + anti-ENA' panel was also associated with RM when the analysis was performed only on 17 women who had secondary infertility: 10 from the 38 women with RM, and seven from the 20 women with infertility and no miscarriages. A significant association (P < 0.001) was also apparent between anti-CL and anti-PS and infertility compared with the 28 control women.

RM was associated with autoantibodies to aTPO and the combined panel of aTPO, aTG and anti-ENA, but not with aPL. aPL were associated with infertility.