A national study of the complications of lupus in pregnancy

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.03.012

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Volume 199, Issue 2, August 2008, Pages 127.e1-127.e6

These data were presented as an abstract at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, Washington, DC, Nov. 10-14, 2006.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2008.03.012 Get rights and content

Objective

This study was undertaken to determine the risk of rare complications during pregnancy for women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Study Design

By using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2000-2003, we compared maternal and pregnancy complications for all pregnancy-related admissions for women with and without systemic lupus erythematosus.

Results

Of more than 16.7 million admissions for childbirth over the 4 years, 13,555 were to women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Maternal mortality was 20-fold higher among women with systemic lupus erythematosus. The risks for thrombosis, infection, thrombocytopenia, and transfusion were each 3- to 7-fold higher for women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus patients also had a higher risk for cesarean sections (odds ratio: 1.7), preterm labor (odds ratio: 2.4), and preeclampsia (odds ratio: 3.0) than other women. Women with systemic lupus erythematosus were more likely to have other medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and thrombophilia, that are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusion

Women with systemic lupus erythematosus are at increased risk for serious medical and pregnancy complications during pregnancy.

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

The research protocol used in this study was reviewed and approved by the Duke University Medical Center Institutional Review Board. The NIS, from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), was queried for all pregnancy-related discharge codes for the years 2000-2003. The NIS contains data from approximately 1000 hospitals and is the largest all-payer inpatient care database in the United States. It is a 20% stratified sample

Results

There were more than 16.7 million deliveries between 2000 and 2003: 13,555 of which were to women with a diagnosis of SLE. These pregnancies resulted in 18.3 million pregnancy-related hospitalizations: 17,263 of which were to women with a diagnosis of SLE.

The demographic make-up of the SLE pregnancies was different from the non-SLE pregnant population (Table 1). Women with SLE were, on average, older than women without SLE. A larger proportion of SLE pregnancies were to African American women,

Comment

When compared with other women, SLE patients are at increased risk for maternal death, preeclampsia, preterm labor, thrombosis, infection, and hematologic complications during pregnancy. These elevated risks make clear the need for close monitoring by both maternal-fetal medicine physicians and rheumatologists during pregnancy.

Women with SLE in the NIS cohort had several demographic and medical risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes, beyond the diagnosis of SLE. Women with SLE were older

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Fever of unknown origin in pregnancy: A case report
2024, Case Reports in Women's Health
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects women of reproductive age. In pregnancy, it can lead to maternal and fetal complications. However, diagnosis in pregnancy is challenging since the disease mimics many features associated with other disorders and some complications related to pregnancy.
Here we report a 24-year-old woman at 26 weeks gestation who presented with a fever of unknown origin. She developed tachycardia, nausea, fatigue, rigors, and pancytopenia. Once sepsis and other chronic conditions were ruled out, rheumatology was consulted. Following the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, a combination of hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, and corticosteroids was started, and the patient showed rapid improvement. She had an uncomplicated delivery at term.
This case report highlights a unique presentation of new-onset systemic lupus erythematous in pregnancy. Delay in diagnosis can lead to maternal and fetal complications; however, prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve symptoms and lead to a favorable pregnancy outcome.
Mendelian randomization reveals systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes
2024, European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
The effect of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on adverse pregnancy outcomes is a controversial topic. This study aimed to use Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the causal relationship between SLE, RA and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Genetic variants for SLE and RA, as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes, were derived from pooled statistics from large public genome-wide association studies. Several methods, such as inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median and MR-Pleiotropic Residuals Sum and Outliers, were employed to estimate two-sample causality.
Genetic prediction of SLE was associated with higher odds of preterm labour [odds ratio (OR) 1.03, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.05; p = 0.008]. RA was associated with higher odds of preterm labour (OR 1.03, 95 % CI 1.01–1.06; p = 0.009), pre-eclampsia or eclampsia (OR 1.04, 95 % CI 1.01–1.07; p = 0.005), and poor fetal growth (OR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.04–1.12; p = 2.91 × 10⁻⁵). The results of bidirectional MR analysis did not indicate that SLE was associated with spontaneous abortion, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, preterm rupture of membranes, or poor fetal growth (p-value for IVW 0.13–0.97).
This study found a genetic association between SLE and the risk of preterm labour, and highlights the importance of perinatal care and monitoring for patients with SLE. Furthermore, RA was found to be associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes, including preterm labour, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, and poor fetal growth; as such, there is a need for more intensive therapeutic interventions and prenatal monitoring.
Updates on the dermatopathology of pregnancy-associated skin conditions
2023, Human Pathology
Pathologists provide valuable input in the dermatological care of pregnant patients in various contexts. This article provides dermatopathology updates on cutaneous changes associated with pregnancy, organized based on the following classification system: physiological skin changes in pregnancy, specific dermatoses of pregnancy, dermatoses modified in pregnancy, and skin neoplasms in pregnancy. Awareness of the impact of pregnancy on the skin by pathologists is important, as this is an opportunity to contribute to diagnostic precision in this patient population.
Pregnancy outcomes in women with primary Sjögren's syndrome: an analysis of data from the multicentre, prospective, GR2 study
2023, The Lancet Rheumatology
Adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with primary Sjögren's syndrome have only been evaluated retrospectively using heterogeneous methods and with contradictory results. We aimed to describe adverse pregnancy, delivery, and birth outcome risks in pregnant women with primary Sjögren's syndrome compared with those of a matched general population in France, and to identify factors predictive of disease flares or adverse pregnancy outcomes.
We conducted a multicentre, prospective, cohort study in France using the GR2 (Groupe de Recherche sur la Grossesse et les Maladies Rares) registry. Women from the GR2 study were eligible if they had conceived before March, 2021, had primary Sjögren's syndrome according to the American College of Rheumatology and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2016 classification criteria, and had an ongoing pregnancy at 12 weeks of gestation. In women who entered in the registry with pregnancies before 18 weeks of gestation, we sought to identify factors associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome flare (≥3-point increase in EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index [ESSDAI] score) or adverse pregnancy outcomes (fetal or neonatal death, placental insufficiency leading to a preterm delivery [<37 weeks of gestation], or small-for-gestational-age birthweight). A matched controlled study compared adverse pregnancy, delivery, and birth outcome rates between pregnant women with primary Sjögren's syndrome from the GR2 registry and matched controls from the general population included in the last French perinatal survey (Enquête Nationale Périnatale 2016).
1944 pregnancies were identified in the GR2 cohort, of which 106 pregnancies in 96 women with primary Sjögren's syndrome were included in this analysis. The median age at pregnancy onset was 33 years (IQR 31–36). 87 (83%) of 105 pregnancies (with ethnicity data) were in White women, 18 (17%) were in Black women; 92 (90%) of 102 had previous systemic activity (ESSDAI score of ≥1; data missing in four pregnancies), and 48 (45%) of 106 had systemic activity at inclusion. Of 93 pregnancies included at week 18 of gestation or earlier, primary Sjögren's syndrome flares occurred in 12 (13%). No baseline parameters were associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome flare. Four twin pregnancies and one medical termination were excluded from the adverse pregnancy outcome analysis; of the remaining 88, adverse pregnancy outcomes occurred in six (7%). Among pregnancies in women with data for antiphospholipid antibodies (n=55), antiphospholipid antibody positivity was more frequent among pregnancies with adverse outcomes (two [50%] of four pregnancies) compared with those without adverse outcomes (two [4%] of 51 pregnancies; p=0·023). Anti-RNP antibody positivity was also more frequent among pregnancies with adverse outcomes than those without, although this was not statistically significant. In the matched controlled study, adverse pregnancy outcomes occurred in nine (9%) of 105 pregnancies in women with primary Sjögren's syndrome and 28 (7%) of the 420 matched control pregnancies; adverse pregnancy outcomes were not significantly associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome (odds ratio 1·31, 95% CI 0·53–2·98; p=0·52).
Pregnancies in women with primary Sjögren's syndrome had very good prognoses for mothers and fetuses, with no overall increase in adverse pregnancy outcome risk compared with the general population. Women with antiphospholipid antibodies or anti-RNP antibodies require close monitoring, because these factors might be associated with a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Lupus France, Association des Sclérodermiques de France, Association Gougerot Sjögren, Association Francophone Contre la Polychondrite Chronique Atrophiante, AFM-Telethon, Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne, Société Française de Rhumatologie, Cochin Hospital, French Health Ministry, Fondation for Research in Rheumatology, Association Prix Véronique Roualet, Union Chimique Belge.
Temporal trends in adverse pregnancy outcomes in axial spondyloarthritis in Sweden: a cohort study
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Evidence on the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth in women with axial spondyloarthritis is scarce and conflicting, with more research needed to guide policy and clinical practice. We aimed to assess the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a large cohort of women with axial spondyloarthritis, and to investigate how outcomes varied over time and in relation to anti-rheumatic treatment.
In this register-based cohort study, we included births in Sweden between April 1, 2007, and Dec 31, 2020, to women with axial spondyloarthritis and general population comparators, matched 1:10 on year of delivery, maternal age, and parity. Our main data source was the Medical Birth Register (MBR), which includes over 98% of births in Sweden and prospectively collects data on antenatal care, delivery, and foetal outcomes. The information in MBR was linked to other registers, including the National Patient Register, the Prescribed Drug Register, and registers with demographic data. Our main outcomes were the relative risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, analysed using modified Poisson regression. We also studied how the frequency of certain adverse outcomes, as well as disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatments, changed over the study period by linear regression and loess plots.
Between April 1, 2007, and Dec 31, 2020, 1580 births in women with axial spondyloarthritis recorded in MBR fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were matched with 15 792 comparator births. Among the 1580 births in women with axial spondyloarthritis, we found increased risks of preterm birth (risk ratio 1·43, 95% CI 1·13–1·80), pre-eclampsia (1·44, 1·08–1·92), elective caesarean delivery (1·59, 1·37–1·84), and serious infant infection (1·29, 1·05–1·59) compared with births in general population comparators. The risks of preterm birth, infant infection, and caesarean delivery decreased by around 0·5 percentage points annually during the study period, while the use of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors during pregnancy increased.
In view of remaining concerns regarding safety of the use of biological DMARDs during pregnancy, we saw a reassuring trend in which pregnancy outcomes improved over time in the axial spondyloarthritis group, concurrent with increased use of biological DMARDs. If the current rate of improvement is maintained, women with axial spondyloarthritis treated in accordance with clinical guidelines might eventually not be at an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Swedish Research Council and The Swedish Rheumatism Association.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Consult Series #64: Systemic lupus erythematosus in pregnancy
2023, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multisystem, inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by relapses (commonly called “flares”) and remission. Many organs may be involved, and although the manifestations are highly variable, the kidneys, joints, and skin are commonly affected. Immunologic abnormalities, including the production of antinuclear antibodies, are also characteristic of the disease. Maternal morbidity and mortality are substantially increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and an initial diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus during pregnancy is associated with increased morbidity. Common complications of systemic lupus erythematosus include nephritis, hematologic complications such as thrombocytopenia, and a variety of neurologic abnormalities. The purpose of this document is to examine potential pregnancy complications and to provide recommendations on treatment and management of systemic lupus erythematosus during pregnancy. The following are the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommendations: (1) we recommend low-dose aspirin beginning at 12 weeks of gestation until delivery in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus to decrease the occurrence of preeclampsia (GRADE 1B); (2) we recommend that all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, other than those with quiescent disease, either continue or initiate hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in pregnancy (GRADE 1B); (3) we suggest that for all other patients with quiescent disease activity who are not taking HCQ or other medications, it is reasonable to engage in shared decision-making regarding whether to initiate new therapy with this medication in consultation with the patient’s rheumatologist (GRADE 2B); (4) we recommend that prolonged use (>48 hours) of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) generally be avoided during pregnancy (GRADE 1A); (5) we recommend that COX-2 inhibitors and full-dose aspirin be avoided during pregnancy (GRADE 1B); (6) we recommend discontinuing methotrexate 1-3 months and mycophenolate mofetil/mycophenolic acid at least 6 weeks before attempting pregnancy (GRADE 1A); (7) we suggest the decision to initiate, continue, or discontinue biologics in pregnancy be made in collaboration with a rheumatologist and be individualized to the patient (GRADE 2C); (8) we suggest treatment with a combination of prophylactic unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin and low-dose aspirin for patients without a previous thrombotic event who meet obstetrical criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (GRADE 2B); (9) we recommend therapeutic unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin for patients with a history of thrombosis and antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies (GRADE 1B); (10) we suggest treatment with low-dose aspirin alone in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibodies without clinical events meeting criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome (GRADE 2C); (11) we recommend that steroids not be routinely used for the treatment of fetal heart block due to anti-Sjögren’s-syndrome-related antigen A or B (anti-SSA/SSB) antibodies given their unproven benefit and the known risks for both the pregnant patient and fetus (GRADE 1C); (12) we recommend that serial fetal echocardiograms for assessment of the PR interval not be routinely performed in patients with anti-SSA/SSB antibodies outside of a clinical trial setting (GRADE 1B); (13) we recommend that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus undergo prepregnancy counseling with both maternal–fetal medicine and rheumatology specialists that includes a discussion regarding maternal and fetal risks (GRADE 1C); (14) we recommend that pregnancy be generally discouraged in patients with severe maternal risk, including patients with active nephritis; severe pulmonary, cardiac, renal, or neurologic disease; recent stroke; or pulmonary hypertension (GRADE 1C); (15) we recommend antenatal testing and serial growth scans in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus because of the increased risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and stillbirth (GRADE 1B); and (16) we recommend adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (GRADE 1B).

View all citing articles on Scopus

: Cite this article as: Clowse MEB, Jamison M, Myers E, et al. A national study of the complications of lupus in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;199:127.e1-127.e6.

: Drs Clowse and James are funded by NIH grant 5K12-HD-043446

View full text

ResearchObstetricsA national study of the complications of lupus in pregnancy

Objective

Study Design

Results

Conclusion

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

Results

Comment

Am J Obstet Gynecol

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol

Rheum Dis Clin North Am

Decrease in pregnancy loss rates in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus over a 40-year period

J Rheumatol

Overview of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2000

Introduction to the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2002

Incidence and risk factors for stroke in pregnancy and the puerperium

Obstet Gynecol

Acute myocardial infarction in pregnancy: a United States population-based study

Circulation

A national estimate of the elective primary cesarean delivery rate

Obstet Gynecol

Racial differences in cesareans: an analysis of U.S. 2001 National Inpatient Sample Data

Obstet Gynecol

Risk factors for coronary heart disease in women with systemic lupus erythematosus: the Toronto Risk Factor Study

Arthritis Rheum

Pulmonary hypertension in systemic lupus

Lupus

Research
Obstetrics
A national study of the complications of lupus in pregnancy