ABSTRACT
The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) on cumulative pregnancy and live-birth rates in patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatment. Serum samples from 173 patients were collected prior to initiation treatment cycle and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM and IgA against cardiolipin, phosphoserine, phosphoethanolamine, phosphoinositol, phosphatidic acid, and phosphoglycerol. Fifty-six samples from patients who had at least two failed cycles by assisted reproductive treatment were also tested by a bioassay for the presence of lupus anticoagulants. Both cumulative pregnancy and live birth rates were not affected by the presence of any specific or any number of seropositive APA. There was no association between multiple assisted reproductive treatment failures and APA seropositivity. Neither the serum concentration of any of the 18 APA, nor the number of positive APA was correlated with the number of assisted reproductive treatment failed cycles or affected the probability of pregnancy. No patient was found to be positive for lupus anticoagulants. Using life table analyses, which has been recognized as the most appropriate method available to analyse assisted reproductive treatment results, we conclude that there is no relationship between circulating APA and assisted reproductive treatment outcome. APA do not affect the early process of implantation or maintenance of pregnancy among assisted reproductive treatment patients.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid/blood , Pregnancy Outcome , Reproductive Techniques , Abortion, Spontaneous/immunology , Adult , Embryo Implantation , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin A/blood , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Infertility, Female/therapy , Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor/blood , PregnancyABSTRACT
A hydrocortisone preparation containing methylparaben and propylparaben provoked bronchospasm and pruritus when given intravenously to an asthmatic patient, whereas another hydrocortisone preparation without paraben preservative did not. Direct and passive transfer (Prausnitz-Küstner) skin tests for immediate hypersensitivity to parabens were positive. Parabens, frequently employed as bacteriostatic agents, are capable of producing immunologically mediated, immmediate systemic hypersensitivity reactions.
