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. 2002 Mar;17(3):803-8.
doi: 10.1093/humrep/17.3.803.

Cytokine imbalance in pregnancies with fetal chromosomal abnormalities

F Vesce  1 , C Scapoli, G Giovannini, L Tralli, G Gotti, A Valerio, A Piffanelli
Affiliations

Cytokine imbalance in pregnancies with fetal chromosomal abnormalities

F Vesce et al. Hum Reprod. 2002 Mar.

Abstract

Background: The aim of the present study is to investigate the levels of some of the cytokines which may be involved in the mechanisms leading to the impairment of placental perfusion and to the onset of uterine contractions in pregnancies with fetal genetic abnormalities compared with controls.

Methods: The amniotic fluid and maternal plasma levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and tumour necrosis factor-beta in patients with fetal chromosomal abnormalities were measured, as well as in euploid pregnancies in the seventh week of gestation.

Results: An increase of interleukin-6 (P = 0.034) and a decrease of interleukin-8 (P < or =0.0001) in amniotic fluid, and a decrease of interleukin-6 in the maternal plasma (P = 0.026) was shown in pregnancies with fetal chromosomal abnormalities. A positive correlation was observed between amniotic interleukin-8 and serum interleukin-6 in the presence of fetal aneuploidy (P < 0.006).

Conclusion: Further investigations of cytokine imbalance in pregnancies with poor outcome as a consequence of genetic disorders rather than infection is warranted.

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