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Uterine cervical inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 and -8, as predictors of miscarriage in recurrent cases.

Hattori Y, Nakanishi T, Ozaki Y, Nozawa K, Sato T, Sugiura-Ogasawara M

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan. yahttori@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp

PROBLEM: Inflammatory changes frequently occur in cases of second trimester miscarriage or pre-term delivery, but little attention has been paid to this association with recurrent miscarriage. As interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 are inflammatory cytokines reported to be associated with bacterial vaginosis, intrauterine infections, and pre-term delivery, we here investigated whether they might have predictive value for spontaneous abortion in recurrent cases. METHOD OF STUDY: Cervical mucus and sera were collected at 4-5 weeks' gestation from a total of 59 patients with a history of two or more unexplained consecutive first trimester miscarriages, and examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients then were followed up without medication and their pregnancy outcomes were compared with the test results. RESULTS: Of a total of 59 patients, 13 (22%) miscarried subsequently. Both IL-6 and IL-8 in cervical mucus were significantly higher in patients who miscarried subsequently than in those who had a live birth. In addition, there was no correlation between cervical mucus and serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 take at the same time, and there was no relation with serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Cervical IL-6 and IL-8 might have predictive value for cases of recurrent miscarriage.

Published 11 September 2007 in Am J Reprod Immunol, 58(4): 350-7.
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