Original study
Absence of humoral autoimmunity in peripartum cardiomyopathy. A comparative study in Niger

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Abstract

The authors report a humoral immunity study in 39 black Nigerian women with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) assay, evaluation of serum immune complexes (immunonephelemetric method) and of heart muscle autoantibodies (indirect immunofluorescent double layer technique in heart muscle of the rat) were made. Forty breastfeeding black Nigerian women without cardiac disease were the controls. Differences between serum immunoglobulins, circulating immune complexes and heart muscle autoantibodies are not significant. This study demonstrates the absence of a humoral autoimmunity process in peripartum cardiomyopathy.

References (20)

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Cited by (20)

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    2009, International Journal of Cardiology
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    It is generally accepted that the pregnant state represents a time of altered (decreased) immunity. Cenac et al. have suggested that PPCM is due to reduced humoral immunity in pregnancy, resulting in a reduced ability to clear antigens that enter the maternal circulation [33]. It is important to place into perspective that Cenac et al., in reporting the lack of humoral immunity in PPCM patients, with demonstrated absence of antibodies, did not have at their disposal available technologies that have later shown many PPCM and idiopathic DCM patients to have cardiac protein antigen autoantibodies [34–36].

  • Critical care in obstetrics: pregnancy-specific conditions

    2008, Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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    Levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and Fas/APO-1 (an apoptosis-signalling surface receptor), have been shown to be significantly elevated in women with peripartum cardiomyopathy compared with healthy women.50 The possibility of postviral myocarditis or that seen as a result of an auto-immune aetiology has been explored and remains controversial.52,53 Peripartum cardiomyopathy usually presents post partum.54

  • Clinical and immunologic characteristics in peripartum cardiomyopathy

    2007, International Journal of Cardiology
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    These autoantibodies may activate pro-inflammatory cytokines which have been demonstrated to predict outcome in PPCM [41]. However, no differences in humoral immunity have been demonstrated in 39 Nigerian women with PPCM when compared with controls [42]. In our cohort, we identified autoantibodies in all patients.

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