Correlation between female genital tract levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in recurrent miscarriage associated with bacterial vaginosis

ABSTRACT

Bacterial vaginosis [BV] is the most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge among women in childbearing period. It develops when vaginal lactobacilli are replaced by an overgrowth of Gardnerella vaginalis, anaerobes, and mycoplasma. BV is associated with subclinical endometritis and may be correlated with recurrent miscarriages. Miscarriage refers to the loss a pregnancy before 24 weeks. It was reported that there is a relation between IL-6 and IL-8 in cervical and amniotic fluid and microbial invasion of chorioamniotic membranes. Our aim is to determine the value of genital tract levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in women with recurrent miscarriages in the presence or absence of BV. The present study included 94 women, 54 of them had history of recurrent miscarriage [patients group] and 40 females with normal pregnancy [control group]. Samples were collected by vaginal swabs and cervicovaginal lavages [CVL] and examined physically, microscopically and were graded by Gram stain for BV, cytokine levels measured by ELISA kits. There was an increase in frequency of miscarriage with age. BV was detected in 37% of patients group and in 20% of control group. Gardnerella vaginalis was found in 33% and 15% of patients and control group respectively. When comparing patients group versus control group both cytokines levels were elevated, the mean [+/- SD] of IL-6 was 66.88+/-60.00 vs 11.14 +/-13.69 pg/ml and that of IL-8 was 2265.47 +/-3328.92 vs 195.12 +/-203.59 pg/ml, P-value was highly significant