Association of the protein Z intron F G79A gene polymorphism with recurrent pregnancy loss

Objective

To investigate the association of the common protein Z (PZ) intron F G79A gene polymorphism with recurrent early pregnancy loss (RPL) and its gene-gene interaction with known thrombophilic risk factors for RPL.

Design

Case control study.

Setting

University clinic.

Patient(s)

We enrolled 49 women with a history of two consecutive or three to six nonconsecutive pregnancy losses between the 8th and 12th weeks of gestation and 48 age-matched parous controls without a history of pregnancy complications.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Allele frequencies of the PZ intron F G79A polymorphism and its gene-gene interaction with known risk factors for RPL.

Result(s)

Fourteen case subjects (28.6%) and 24 control subjects (50.0%) carried at least one A allele. This was associated with a significant reduction of the relative risk for recurrent pregnancy loss (odds ratio [OR] 0.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2–0.9; adjusted OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.8). Coexistence of any thrombophilic risk factor studied with the 79A allele resulted in a clear reduction of the primal relative risk for recurrent pregnancy loss.

Conclusion(s)

The isolated presence of the PZ intron F 79A allele as well as the combination with known thrombophilic risk factors was protective against RPL between the 8th and 12th weeks of gestation.

Key Words: Recurrent pregnancy loss, protein Z, protein Z intron F G79A polymorphism, coagulation factor VIII, factor V Leiden, thrombophilia, pregnancy, miscarriage