CD68 immunostaining in the evaluation of chronic histiocytic intervillositis

Abstract

Context: Chronic histiocytic intervillositis is an uncommon and poorly recognized lesion associated with poor perinatal outcomes, including intrauterine growth retardation and stillbirth. It has a high recurrence rate.

Objective: To evaluate utility of CD68 immunostaining in the evaluation of chronic histiocytic intervillositis.

Design: Institutional review board-approved retrospective review was performed. Cases were selected from the departmental archives of University Hospital, Newark, New Jersey, between 2002 and 2009. Controls were from second-trimester pregnancies with chromosomal abnormalities or multiple severe anomalies.

Results: There were 9 cases and 11 controls. The mean CD68(+) count per high-power field for the cases was 88 ± 23 (range, 51-180) and for the controls, 8 ± 5 (range, 0-24), P < .001.

Conclusions: This study establishes a range for histiocyte counts in chronic histiocytic intervillositis and pregnancies without chronic histiocytic intervillositis, and suggests that CD68 staining may have utility in the diagnosis, particularly for nonperinatal pathologists, who may be less familiar with this lesion.