The frequency of early, spontaneous miscarriage associated with the leu33pro polymorphism of Glycoprotein IIIa: a pilot study

Background: Inherited thrombophilia is associated with both poor obstetrical outcomes and increased cardiovascular risk later in life. In fact, a personal history of spontaneous miscarriage is reported to increase the risk of subsequent ischaemic heart disease.

Aims: This pilot study aims to evaluate the association between genetic polymorphism-related increased risk of arterial thrombosis and the history of spontaneous miscarriage early in pregnancy, among healthy postmenopausal women.

Methods: The following polymorphisms were assessed in 84 healthy post-menopausal women: Glycoprotein IIIa leu33pro, Apolipoprotein E2/E3/E4, Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, Apolipoprotein B arg3500gln, Paraoxonase 1 gln182arg, Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 4G/5G, Cholesterol-7(α) -hydroxylase and Cholesterol ester transfer protein (ΤaqIB) B1/B2. The association between the polymorphisms and history of spontaneous pregnancy loss was evaluated.

Results: The frequency of the PL(A2) allele of glycoprotein IIIa was significantly higher in women who experienced spontaneous miscarriage when compared with controls (P = 0.033). Glycoprotein IIIa leu33pro polymorphism correlated positively with the frequency of spontaneous miscarriage (P = 0.027). Among women reporting miscarriage, 55.6% were heterozygous compared with 44.4% who were wild type. We found no significant association between any of the other polymorphisms and spontaneous pregnancy loss.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that Glycoprotein IIIa leu33pro polymorphism is associated with early, spontaneous miscarriage. The causative role of this polymorphism as a risk factor of pregnancy loss needs further investigation by prospective studies.