Background: Cytokines have been described to play a major role in the pathogenesis
of idiopathic recurrent miscarriage (IRM). We investigated the association between
IRM and a polymorphism of the interleukin-6 (IL-6). Methods: In a prospective casecontrol
study, we studied 100 women with IRM and 60 healthy controls. Peripheral
venous blood sample was taken from each woman for DNA extraction and PCR was
employed to genotype women for the presence of a polymorphism at position -634 in
the promoter region of IL-6. Results: Allele frequencies among women with IRM and
controls were 82.5 and 78.3% respectively for allele C (wild type); 17.5% and 21.6%
respectively for allele G (mutant). No association between allele G and the
occurrence of IRM was found (odds ratio 1.304; 95% confidence interval = 0.760–
2.299; P= NS). Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first report on IL-6
polymorphism in IRM on Egyptian population, yet. the IL-6 polymorphism
investigated was not associated with IRM in the studied group of Egyptian
population.