Volume 68, Issue 1 pp. 75-84
Original Article

Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment Increased Live Birth Rate in a Spanish Cohort of Women with Recurrent Reproductive Failure and Expanded CD56+ Cells

Manuela Moraru

Manuela Moraru

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

Department of Immunology, Hospital Univesitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain

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Javier Carbone

Javier Carbone

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Diana Alecsandru

Diana Alecsandru

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Marcela Castillo-Rama

Marcela Castillo-Rama

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Aurea García-Segovia

Aurea García-Segovia

Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain

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Juana Gil

Juana Gil

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Bárbara Alonso

Bárbara Alonso

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Angel Aguarón

Angel Aguarón

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Rocío Ramos-Medina

Rocío Ramos-Medina

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Juan Martínez de María

Juan Martínez de María

Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain

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Desamparados Oliver-Miñarro

Desamparados Oliver-Miñarro

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Margarita Rodríguez-Mahou

Margarita Rodríguez-Mahou

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Virginia Ortega

Virginia Ortega

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Pedro Caballero

Pedro Caballero

Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain

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Elena Meliá

Elena Meliá

Unidad de la Mujer, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain

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Juan Vidal

Juan Vidal

Unidad de la Mujer, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain

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Malena Cianchetta-Sivori

Malena Cianchetta-Sivori

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Carmen Esteban

Carmen Esteban

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Loreto Vargas-Henny

Loreto Vargas-Henny

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Jonathan Dale

Jonathan Dale

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Luis Ortiz-Quintana

Luis Ortiz-Quintana

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Eduardo Fernández-Cruz

Eduardo Fernández-Cruz

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

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Silvia Sánchez-Ramón

Corresponding Author

Silvia Sánchez-Ramón

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

Correspondence

Silvia Sánchez-Ramón, Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Calle Doctor Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 18 April 2012
Citations: 81

Abstract

Problem

Natural killer (NK, CD3 CD56+/CD16+) and NKT-like cells (CD3+ CD56+/CD16+) activity is considered among the key factors for reproductive success. In the absence of immunological screening, beneficial effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in preventing recurrent reproductive failure (RRF) have not been reported. Here, we analyse the IVIG influence on pregnancy success in women with RRF and circulating NK or/and NKT-like cells expansion.

Method of study

One hundred fifty-seven women with previous recurrent miscarriage and/or recurrent implantation failure after in vitro fertilization were consecutively studied. Sixty-four patients with CD56+ cell expansion, no apparent underlying disease and who maintained their desire to conceive were selected. Forty of them received IVIG during pregnancy.

Results

Overall, the clinical pregnancy rate for the women under IVIG therapy was 92.5% and the live birth rate was 82.5%. Significantly lower pregnancy and live birth rates (25% and 12.5%, respectively) were observed for the patients with recurrent pregnancy loss and NK/NKT-like cells expansion without IVIG. After three cycles of IVIG, NK cell percentages decreased significantly and these values persisted throughout gestation.

Conclusion

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for women with RRF and NK or NKT-like cell expansion was a safe and beneficial therapeutic strategy that associated with high clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.

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