Complement C3 and C4 Levels in Recurrent Aborting Women with or without Antiphospholipid and Anticardiolipin Autoantibodies

摘要

Background: Accumulating body of evidence suggests a role for the complement system in etiology of abortion. Objectives: To evaluate levels of complements (C3,C4) in cases of abortion with or without circulating antiphospholipid (APL) and anticardiolipin (ACL) autoantibodies. Patients and Methods: A case-control study included 73 patients with a history of three or more abortion and 30 healthy parous women. Results: Complements (C3,C4) means and the ranges of these levels of both patients and control groups were as follows: C3: (90± 9 mg/dl, 39-115mg/dl; 109±16 mg/dl, 95-138 mg/dl); C4 (18±10 mg/dl ,11-25 mg/dl; 36±7 mg/dl, 23-39 mg/dl) respectively. The differences in the means between patients and control were highly significant (p≤ 0.01). In the patients group, according to the mean the range of C4, C3 beside the elevation of both ACL and APL, three subgroups (A,B,C) were recognizable. Group A comprised 21 aborting women with high levels of ACL and APL. Their mean ± S.D (range) of C3 & C4 were as such [C3: (59.7±11.6 mg/dl, 39-65 mg/dl); C4: (14.7±5.2 mg/dl, 11-16 mg/dl). Group B included 34 aborting women with normal levels of ACL & APL and a mean ± S.D (ranges) of C3 & C4 were as such: C3: (88.6±19.3 mg/dl, 59-90 mg/dl ), C4:(18.4±7.3 mg/dl, 15-21 mg/dl). Group C: including 18 aborting women with normal levels of AC & APL and means ± S.D & ranges of C3 & C4 were as such : C3: (102.7± 15.1 mg/dl, 90-115 mg/dl ), C4: (21.4 ± 5.8 mg/dl,17-25 mg/dl) respectively. The differences between the means of C3 in these subgroups were highly significant (p≤0.01), while the differences between the means of C4 in these groups were as such: Groups A & B: significant (p≤ 0.05), groups A&C: highly significant (p≤ 0.01), and groups B&C: non-significant. Conclusion : Low C3 & C4 levels were detected in recurrent aborting women with or without autoantibodies (APL & ACL). These data may suggest a role for these complements in the pathogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss.