Luiz Werber-Bandeira, Evilmara Pagani and Absalon Filgueira
General Hospital-Santa Casa da Misericordia, Brazil
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Allergy Ther
Introduction: Abortion is defined by gestational loss before the twentieth week and recurrent spontaneous abortion by at least three spontaneous and successive losses of gestations in the same period. According to estimates, this occurrence affects between 1 and 3% women of childbearing age and can have several causes, among which, the immunological ones. Among the different types of immunological causes, this work refers specifically to the alloimmune. Women with spontaneous abortion, recurrent of alloimmune cause (RSA), share a greater number of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) with their husbands, leading to inhibition of the production of anti-paternal and asymmetric-blocking antibodies, which would protect the embryonic cells.
Aim: The aim is to evaluate the effect of immunotherapy with sensitizing HLA paternal mononuclear cells in RSA cases through the Cross-Match test positivity and the efficacy of this therapy through the successful pregnancy.
Patients & Methods: After written consent, 12 couples with history of RSA and presenting negative Cross-Match test were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected from the couple for the Cross-Match test and separation of paternal mononuclear cells. Immunotherapy with paternal mononuclear cells, intradermally, was instituted in the arm of wives at intervals day (D) 0, D15 and D30. After the third dose, the second Cross-Match test was performed.
Results & Discussion: The wives' ages ranged from 28 to 41 years, with mean of 34.5 years. Eleven out of the twelve couples (96.6%) registered a change to positive Cross-Match. Of these, 10 (90.9%) had a successful pregnancy. Mononuclear parental immunotherapy showed excellent results demonstrating the sensitization of the mother's immune system with change to positive Cross-Match and resulting in successful pregnancy.
Luiz Werber-Bandeira is the Head of Clinical and Experimental Immunology Unit - Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has a degree in Medicine; completed his Post-doctorate in Immuno-Genetics, and PhD in Medicine-Immunology-Dermatology at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is also specialized in Clinical Immunology-Allergy at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is reorganizer of the Clinical and Experimental Immunology Unit - Santa Casa da Misericórdia, Rio de Janeiro.
E-mail: werberbandeira@globo.com