Antiphospholipid antibodies increase the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and adverse pregnancy outcomes

J Reprod Immunol. 2009 Jan;79(2):188-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2008.11.001. Epub 2009 Feb 10.

Abstract

Antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) is associated with thromboembolism. There is scant evidence of a relationship between the aPL profile and serious adverse pregnancy outcome. The aim of this study was to assess whether aPL measurements during early pregnancy were useful in predicting a serious adverse pregnancy outcome. In this prospective study, we measured aPLs, including lupus anticoagulant (LA), IgG, IgM, IgA anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), IgG, IgM phosphatidylserine-dependent antiprothrombin antibody, and IgG kininogen-dependent antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibody (aPE) during the first trimester in a consecutive series of 1155 women. The 99 th percentile cut-off values in each aPL were determined using samples from 105 women who did not exhibit any pregnancy morbidity. We assessed the predictive risk of a serious adverse pregnancy outcome adjusted for confounding factors. We found that IgG aCL was associated with developing pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) (odds ratio 11.4, 95% CI 2.7-48); IgG aPE with PIH (8.3, 2.4-29), severe PIH (20.4, 4.5-91), and premature delivery (PD) (12.7, 3.1-50); and LA with PD (11.0, 2.8-44) and low birth weight (8.0, 2.1-31). The combinations of IgG aPE plus IgG aCL (17.5, 4.7-66.7) or IgG aPE plus LA (22.2, 5.4-909) measurements predicted severe PIH with 30.8% sensitivity and 99.2% specificity. We conclude that aPL measurements during early pregnancy may be useful in predicting adverse pregnancy outcome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / blood*
  • Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / blood
  • Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / diagnosis*
  • Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / immunology*
  • Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / physiopathology
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antiphospholipid