Investigation of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome markers in the etiology of recurrent miscarriage

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the markers of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), which has an important place in the etiology of recurrent miscarriage, and toprovide guidance for the treatment of the related disorders. This prospective observational study was performed on 120 female patients admitted to the Obstetrics andGynecology outpatient clinics due to recurrent pregnancy loss. Blood samples were analyzed using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique to findout the levels of APS-associated anticardiolipin (ACA), anti-beta2-glycoprotein I (a?2GPI), anti-annexin V (aANXV), anti-prothrombin (aPT), and antiphosphatidylserine(aPS) antibodies. A statistically significant difference was found between increased age groups and the number of miscarriages (p=0.03, p<0.05). There were no significantdifferences between the age groups by the time of miscarriage (p=0.35, p<0.05). ACA positivity (75%, n = 90) and anti-annexin V positivity (50.8%, n = 61) werehigher than the positive results found in other tests(p=0.01, p<0.05). Antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs) showed significantly different positivity levels by the age groups(p=0.01, p<0.05). The positivity levels of APAs were significantly different by the number of miscarriages (p=0.01, p<0.05). Other antibody levels were not statisticallysignificantly different. The frequency of positive APA levels increases with advancing age and a high number of miscarriages in association with the etiology of recurrentmiscarriage. Among the subgroups of these antibodies, ACA and anti-annexin V can serve as highly appropriate diagnostic markers in recurrent miscarriage.