Asthma drugs and the risk of congenital anomalies

Summary of the Dutch Multidisciplinary Practice Guideline on Asthma and Pregnancy

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in women of childbearing age and during pregnancy. This paper presents a summary of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline on asthma and pregnancy. The aim of this guideline is to provide structured, where possible, evidence-based recommendations to optimize the management of asthma during pregnancy. The main topics covered in this guideline are preconception counseling, the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding and risk assessment and monitoring of asthma during pregnancy. Because many caregivers are involved and a uniform approach is desirable, this guideline has been developed in collaboration with all relevant health care providers and patient representatives.

The risk of congenital heart defects associated with corticosteroids use during the first trimester of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have suggested that maternal corticosteroids exposure during the first trimester may be associated with an increased risk of congenital heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. However, the findings are discrepant. Moreover, a complete overview of the existing data in the literature is lacking. Our objective was to identify whether such an association exists.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Relevant studies were identified via searching PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese databases, and the Cochrane Library databases (search date July 15, 2021) and through checking the reference lists of retrieved articles. The overall pooled risk estimate was calculated using random-effect models. We used the GRADE approach to assess the overall strength of the evidence and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess study quality. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the association within studies or samples with different characteristics. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the results. Nine studies involving 1,901,599 participants were included in the final analysis. All studies were evaluated as high quality. In the meta-analysis, no statistically significant association was found between maternal corticosteroids exposure during the first trimester and increased risk of CHDs in offspring (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.13, P = 0.06, low certainty of evidence). Additionally, we also did not find significant differences in subgroup analyses of corticosteroids exposure patterns, including oral corticosteroids exposure (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.00-1.52), ointment corticosteroids exposure (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.90-1.19), inhalation corticosteroids exposure (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.96-1.17), topical corticosteroids or systemic corticosteroids exposure (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.79-1.15), and nasal corticosteroids exposure (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.80-1.57).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study does not find an association between maternal corticosteroids exposure during the first trimester and offspring CHDs. However, the existing evidence is of low quality; thus, long-term prospective cohort studies are warranted to verify the safety of corticosteroids in this population, with adequate adjustments for confounding variables.

Major congenital malformations in offspring of women with chronic diseases-impact of the disease or the treatment?

In a narrative review, we summarized previous findings on the risk of major congenital malformations in offspring of women with chronic hypertension, hypothyroidism, or depression compared with the background population, and evaluated whether exposure to medical treatment in the first trimester affected this risk. In a literature search in the PubMed database, cohort studies were included if they were published from 2010 to 2022 and contained data on major congenital malformations from ≥500 offspring of women with chronic hypertension, hypothyroidism, or depression during the first trimester of pregnancy, and data on both untreated and treated women. Data were compared with the background population of women without these diseases. In total, 7 cohort studies were identified. In comparison with the background population, 2 studies including 54,996 offspring of women with chronic hypertension showed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.20 to 1.30 for major congenital malformations in the offspring, regardless of antihypertensive treatment. One study including 16,364 offspring of women with hypothyroidism showed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.14 (1.06-1.22) for major congenital malformations in the offspring, regardless of thyroid substitution. Four studies including 48,913 offspring of women with depression showed adjusted odds ratios of 1.07 to 1.27 (0.91-1.78) for major congenital malformations in the offspring of untreated women. Three of these 4 studies showed similar prevalence of malformations in women treated for depression. The findings of this narrative review suggest that chronic hypertension and hypothyroidism, rather than exposure to their medical treatments in the first trimester, were associated with increased risk of major congenital malformations, whereas depression was generally not associated with major congenital malformations.

The identification and validity of congenital malformation diagnoses in UK electronic health records: A systematic review

PURPOSE

To describe the methods used to identify and validate congenital malformation diagnoses recorded in UK electronic health records, and the results of validation studies.

METHODS

Medline and Embase were searched for publications between 1987 and 2019 that involved identifying congenital malformations from UK electronic health records using diagnostic codes. The methods and code-lists used to identify congenital malformations, and the methods and results of validations, were examined.

RESULTS

We retrieved 54 eligible studies; 36 identified congenital malformations from primary care data and 18 from secondary care data alone or in combination with birth and/or death records. Identification in secondary care data relied on codes from the 'Q' chapter for congenital malformations in ICD-10. In contrast, studies using primary care data frequently used additional codes outside of the 'P' chapter for congenital malformation diagnoses in Read, although the exact codes used were not always clear. Eight studies validated diagnoses identified in primary care data. The positive predictive value was highest (80%-100%) for congenital malformations overall, major malformations, and heart defects although the validity of the reference standard used was often uncertain. It was lowest for neural tube defects (71%) and developmental hip dysplasia (56%).

CONCLUSIONS

Studies identifying congenital malformations from primary care data provided limited details about the methods used. The few validation studies were limited to diagnoses recorded in primary care. Further assessments of all measures of validity in both data sources and of other malformation subgroups are needed, using robust reference standards and adhering to reporting guidelines.

Association between the timing of asthma diagnosis and medication use during pregnancy

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To assess whether asthma medication use during pregnancy differs in women newly diagnosed with asthma early in pregnancy (first 19 weeks of pregnancy) compared to those newly diagnosed up to 2 years pre-pregnancy.

DESIGN

A retrospective population-based cohort study.

DATA SOURCE

To conduct this study, we used the Quebec Asthma and Pregnancy Database (QAPD) constructed by linking two administrative health databases from the province of Quebec (Canada): the Régie de l'Assurance Maladie du Québec and Maintenance et Exploitation des Données pour l'Étude de la Clientèle Hospitalière databases.

PATIENTS

A cohort comprising pregnant women newly diagnosed with asthma at any time in the 2 years prior to pregnancy or during the first 19 weeks of pregnancy was selected from the QAPD.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We assessed the number of filled prescriptions of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), ICS/long-acting β2 agonists (LABA), and short-acting β2 agonists (SABA), as well as the number of days' supply of oral corticosteroid (OCS) from the 20^th week of pregnancy until delivery. Poisson regression was used to compare the rates of asthma medication use in women diagnosed pre-pregnancy versus early in pregnancy. The cohort included 1731 women newly diagnosed with asthma pre-pregnancy and 359 women newly diagnosed with asthma early in pregnancy. Women diagnosed early in pregnancy were more likely to use ICS (adjusted rate ratio: 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-2.3) and SABA (adjusted rate ratio: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.7-2.4) from the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery than those newly diagnosed pre-pregnancy. No significant differences were observed in the use of ICS/LABA [adjusted rate ratio: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.7-1.3] and OCS [adjusted rate ratio: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-1.2].

CONCLUSION

The higher use of ICS and SABA observed in women newly diagnosed with asthma early in pregnancy may suggest a more persistent asthma phenotype caused by pregnancy-triggered hormonal changes.

Asthma Medication Use and Risk of Birth Defects: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011

BACKGROUND

Evidence regarding associations between maternal asthma medication use and birth defects is mixed.

OBJECTIVE

Estimate associations between asthma medciation use and 52 birth defects using National Birth Defects Prevention Study data from 1997 to 2011.

METHODS

We compared self-reported maternal asthma medication use for 28,481 birth defect cases and 10,894 nonmalformed controls. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) to estimate the risk of birth defects associated with early pregnancy asthma medication use (the month before through the third month of pregnancy), controlling for maternal age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking, folic acid-containing supplement use, and parity. We calculated risks by medication groupings: bronchodilators, anti-inflammatories, and both.

RESULTS

Overall, 1304 (5%) case and 449 (4%) control women reported early pregnancy asthma medication use. We observed an association between asthma medication use and longitudinal limb deficiency (1.81; 95% CI, 1.27-2.58). Early pregnancy bronchodilator-only use was associated with cleft palate (1.50; 95% CI, 1.11-2.02), cleft lip (1.58; 95% CI, 1.12-2.23), longitudinal limb deficiency (2.35; 95% CI, 1.55-3.54), and truncus arteriosus (2.48; 95% CI, 1.13-5.42). Although early pregnancy anti-inflammatory-only use was not associated with the birth defects studied, use of both medications was associated with biliary atresia (3.60; 95% CI, 1.55-8.35) and pulmonary atresia (2.50; 95% CI, 1.09-5.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with previous National Birth Defects Prevention Study analyses, asthma medication use was not associated with most birth defects examined, but we observed modest risks for bronchodilator use and several birth defects. Our findings support maintaining adequate asthma treatment during pregnancy, because early pregnancy asthma exacerbations have been associated with adverse birth outcomes, including birth defects.

Oral corticosteroids during pregnancy and offspring risk of congenital heart defects: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pre-pregnancy diabetes is a strong risk factor for congenital heart defects (CHDs), suggesting a role for glucose in the causal pathway. Oral corticosteroids may cause hyperglycemia and maternal use could affect embryonic heart development. The objective of this study was to determine the association between maternal intake of oral corticosteroids 0-8 weeks after conception and CHDs in offspring.

METHODS

A register-based nationwide prevalence study including all live singleton births in Denmark, 1996-2016, was conducted. In total, 1 194 687 individuals and their mothers were identified and linked with information on offspring CHDs and the mothers' use of oral corticosteroids in early pregnancy. Corticosteroid use was defined as a filled prescription for maternal use of oral corticosteroid 0-8 weeks after conception. CHDs were identified through International Classification of Diseases codes. The association was estimated by prevalence (odds) ratios using logistic regression and propensity score-matched analyses.

RESULTS

Among 1 194 687 live births, 2032 had a mother who had used oral corticosteroids 0-8 weeks from conception. Of these offspring, 32 had a heart defect. Among the offspring of never-users of oral corticosteroids, 10 534 had a heart defect. The adjusted prevalence ratio was 1.29 (95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.84) comparing offspring prevalence of heart defects in oral corticosteroid users with that in oral corticosteroid never-users. Propensity score-matched analysis yielded similar results (prevalence ratio 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-2.02).

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports that there is no association between maternal use of oral corticosteroids in the first 8 weeks after conception and CHDs.

[Woman's asthma throughout life: Towards a personalized management?]

In a woman's life, asthma can affect her in a variety of ways, with the onset of premenstrual asthma currently under-diagnosed. It is estimated that about 20% of women with asthma have premenstrual asthma, which is more common in patients with severe asthma. Women with asthma are at high risk of exacerbations and of severe asthma. Asthma is the most common chronic disease during pregnancy with potential maternal and foetal complications. Asthma medications are safe for the foetus and it is essential to continue pre-existing treatment and adapt it to the progress of asthma during the pregnancy. Sex steroids modulate the structure and function of bronchial and immune cells. Understanding their role in asthma pathogenesis is complicated by the ambivalent effects of bronchodilating and pro-inflammatory oestrogens as well as the diversity of response to their association with progesterone. Menopausal asthma is a clinical entity and is part of one of the phenotypes of severe non-allergic and low steroid-sensitive asthma. Targeted assessment of the domestic and professional environment allows optimization of asthma management.

Inhaled corticosteroid use during pregnancy among women with asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Studies demonstrate the prescription rate for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) decreases in early pregnancy, possibly increasing exacerbation risk. This could be related to non-adherence to prescribed asthma medication or medication cessation by the patient or doctor. ICS use during pregnancy has not previously been summarized in a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the use of ICS during pregnancy among asthmatic women, specifically: (1) the prevalence of use, (2) changes of use during pregnancy compared with pre-pregnancy and (3) medication adherence among ICS users.

METHODS

We systematically searched literature in Embase, MEDLINE, CINAL and Cochrane, using terms related to asthma, pregnancy and medication use. All English articles reporting ICS among pregnant women with asthma were included. Prevalence, changes in ICS use during pregnancy and ICS adherence were pooled using STATA (version 15.0, StataCorp USA).

RESULTS

A total of 4237 references were retrieved in the initial search. Screening and review led to the inclusion of 52 articles for one or more aims (Aim 1: N = 45; Aim 2, N = 13; and Aim 3, N = 5). The pooled prevalence of ICS use during pregnancy was 41% (95%CI 36%-45%); 49% (95%CI 44%-55%) in Europe, 39% (95%CI 32%-47%) in Australia and 34% (95%CI 27%-41%) in North America. In eight prescription databases, ICS prescription rates lowered in the first trimester of pregnancy, compared with pre-pregnancy, increased in the second trimester and decreased in the third trimester. Five studies reported ICS adherence among pregnant women, using four measures of self-reported non-adherence. In two comparable studies, pooled ICS non-adherence was 40% (95%CI 36%-44%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of ICS use among pregnant women with asthma is 41% and varies widely between countries and continents, and prescription rates for ICS change throughout pregnancy. More studies are needed to investigate ICS adherence during pregnancy in women with asthma.

Maternal depression and antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring

Background

Results of some studies suggest that prenatal antidepressant exposure increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring, while other studies suggest that depression independently increases the risk of having a child with ASD. Thus, confounding by indication is a concern.

Objective

The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of ASD in offspring of women who were exposed to antidepressants and/or had depression during pregnancy compared to unexposed women.

Materials and methods

We conducted a cohort study with nested sibling case–control analysis. Using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), we identified mother– baby pairs where the mother had ≥12 months of history before the delivery date and the child had ≥3 years of follow-up. Exposures during pregnancy were classified as 1) depression treated with antidepressants, 2) untreated depression, 3) other indications for antidepressant use, and 4) 4:1 match of unexposed women with no history of depression or antidepressant use. We calculated the prevalence of ASD and relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. In the sibling analysis, we compared exposure among ASD cases to that of non-ASD siblings born to the same mother. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs for women with treated and untreated depression, compared to unexposed.

Results

We identified 2,154 offspring with ASD among 194,494 mother–baby pairs. Compared to unexposed, the RR of ASD was 1.72 (95% CI 1.54–1.93) for treated depression and 1.50 (95% CI 1.28–1.75) for untreated depression, while the RR was not elevated in women who received antidepressants for other indications (RR =0.73, 95% CI 0.41–1.29). Additional analyses to assess the effects of severity of depression suggest that the risk of ASD in offspring increases with increasing severity, not with the antidepressant treatment. The results of the sibling analysis were similar to the main analysis.

Conclusion

Women with depression during pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with ASD, regardless of antidepressant use.

Safety of Drugs during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Health management of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients should be maximized during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of its significant impact on the maternal and newborn outcomes. Thus, numerous drugs will have to be continued during pregnancy and lactation. Most of the drugs representing CF treatment lines cross the placenta or are excreted into human milk. Research addressing the risks and benefits of drugs used in CF patients during pregnancy and lactation is often incomplete or challenged by limited methodology, which often leads to conflicting or inconclusive results. Yet, potential treatment benefits for CF pregnant patients most often outbalance potential risks for the unborn child.

Management of critical asthma syndrome during pregnancy

One-third of pregnant asthmatics experience a worsening of their asthma that may progress to a critical asthma syndrome (CAS) that includes status asthmaticus (SA) and near-fatal asthma (NFA). Patients with severe asthma before pregnancy may experience more exacerbations, especially during late pregnancy. Prevention of the CAS includes excellent asthma control involving targeted early and regular medical care of the pregnant asthmatic, together with medication compliance. Spontaneous abortion risk is higher in pregnant women with uncontrolled asthma than in non-asthmatics. Should CAS occur during pregnancy, aggressive bronchodilator therapy, montelukast, and systemic corticosteroids can be used in the context of respiratory monitoring, preferably in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Systemic epinephrine should be avoided due to potential teratogenic side-effects and placental/uterine vasoconstriction. Non-invasive ventilation has been used in some cases. Intratracheal intubation can be hazardous and rapid-sequence intubation by an experienced physician is recommended. Mechanical ventilation parameters are adjusted based on changes to respiratory mechanics in the pregnant patient. An inhaled helium-oxygen gas admixture may promote laminar airflow and improve gas exchange. Permissive hypercapnea is controversial, but may be unavoidable. Sedation with propofol which itself has bronchodilating properties is preferred to benzodiazepines. Case reports delineating good outcomes for both mother and fetus despite intubation for SA suggest that multidisciplinary ICU care of the pregnant asthmatic with critical asthma are feasible especially if hypoxemia is avoided.

Maternal asthma medication use during pregnancy and risk of congenital heart defects

BACKGROUND

Asthma affects 4% to 8% of pregnant women and studies suggest maternal asthma, particularly when uncontrolled, may be associated with adverse reproductive outcomes.

METHODS

We examined self-reported asthma medication use and the risk of congenital heart defects (CHD) in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a multi-center, population-based case-control study of selected major structural defects. We evaluated maternal use of bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories during the periconceptional period (1 month before conception through the first 3 pregnancy months) among 7638 infants with CHDs and 8106 nonmalformed controls with estimated delivery dates from 1997 to 2007. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for 20 types of CHDs.

RESULTS

Among asthma medications reported during the periconceptional period among controls, albuterol accounted for 85.1% of all bronchodilator use, and fluticasone, prednisone, and montelukast accounted for 46.1%, 15.6%, and 14.9% of anti-inflammatory use, respectively. Of the women who reported bronchodilators during the periconceptional period, 71.1% reported use throughout pregnancy and only 29.4% reported concurrent use of an anti-inflammatory. We observed one statistically significant association between maternal bronchodilator use only and anomalous pulmonary venous return (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.1-4.8) among numerous comparisons.

CONCLUSION

We did not observe statistically significant associations between the reported use of asthma medications during pregnancy and most specific types of CHDs. Despite limitations in our inability to evaluate asthma status and severity, our study suggests that maternal asthma medication use does not substantially, if at all, increase the risk of CHDs.

Use of inhaled and oral corticosteroids in pregnancy and the risk of malformations or miscarriage

Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, which sometimes must be given to pregnant women. Corticosteroids have been suspected to be teratogenic for many years; however, there is conflicting evidence regarding the association. Based on a literature review of three databases, this MiniReview provides an overview of inhaled and oral corticosteroid use in pregnancy with specific emphasis on the association between use of corticosteroids during pregnancy and risk of miscarriage and congenital malformations in offspring. The use of corticosteroids among pregnant women ranged from 0.2% to 10% and increased nearly two times in recent years. Taken together, the evidence suggests that the use of corticosteroids in early pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations overall or oral clefts in offspring; at the same time, published estimates are inconsistent. The use of inhaled corticosteroids was associated with a slightly increased risk of miscarriage, whereas the use of oral corticosteroids was not; however, confounding by indication could not be ruled out.

The Clinical Practice Research Datalink for drug safety in pregnancy research: an overview

Medicine use during pregnancy is common; however the safety of medicine use during pregnancy is largely unknown when a medicine comes to market. Electronic healthcare databases, including the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), are increasingly being used for post-marketing surveillance in this field. The CPRD contains anonymised, longitudinal medical records routinely collected in primary care. Using CPRD data it is possible to identify medical records indicative of pregnancy, including pregnancy losses. Data on prescriptions issued can be used to determine maternal exposure and for about 80% of pregnancies it is possible to link the mother's medical record to the medical record of the child. Data in the medical records of the mother and child can then be used to identify adverse pregnancy outcomes, including congenital malformations. This paper describes some of the complexities involved in using CPRD data for pregnancy related research and discusses some of its strengths and limitations.

Relative perinatal safety of salmeterol vs formoterol and fluticasone vs budesonide use during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Recent asthma guidelines endorse the safety of long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) and of mild and moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) when required to control asthma during pregnancy, yet do not state a preferred medication within each class.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the relative perinatal safety with the use of salmeterol and formoterol (LABAs) and that of fluticasone and budesonide (ICSs) during pregnancy.

METHODS

A subcohort of pregnancies from asthmatic women was selected from health care administrative databases of Quebec, Canada. Low birth weight (LBW) was defined as weight less than 2,500 g, preterm birth (PB) as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, and small for gestational age (SGA) as a birth weight below the 10th percentile. The effect of treatment with salmeterol vs formoterol and fluticasone vs budesonide on the outcomes was determined with generalized estimating equation models.

RESULTS

The LABA and ICS subcohorts were composed of 547 (385 salmeterol and 162 formoterol users) and 3,798 (3,190 fluticasone and 608 budesonide users) pregnancies, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed for LBW (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-1.88), PB (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.56-2.23), and SGA (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.67-2.02) newborns between women exposed to salmeterol vs formoterol or between women exposed to fluticasone vs budesonide (LBW: OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.76-1.52; PB: OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.78-1.49; and SGA, OR: 1.10; 95% CI, 0.85-1.44).

CONCLUSION

This study does not provide evidence of greater perinatal safety for one LABA or one ICS over the other.

Safety of bronchodilators and corticosteroids for asthma during pregnancy: what we know and what we need to do better

Asthma is a common medical condition complicating pregnancy with potentially serious effects on pregnancy outcome. The aim of this review is to provide an update on efficacy and safety of asthma medications, primarily bronchodilators and corticosteroids, used during pregnancy with focus on pregnancy outcome, and, furthermore, to discuss limitations of available studies and point to possible improvements in future studies. A planned series of systematic searches was conducted using the PubMed database. Use of short-acting β2-agonists has generally been established as safe, and the few studies stating otherwise appear to have, perhaps critical, methodological limitations. The safety of long-acting β2-agonists remains to be further investigated, and the few available studies have methodological limitations and, therefore, provide no definite answers, although a very recent study supports the safety of add-on long-acting β2-agonists to inhaled corticosteroids. Inhaled corticosteroids are generally found to be safe, although further research is needed to investigate both the efficacy and safety of high dose therapy with inhaled corticosteroids. Studies have reported associations between the use of systemic corticosteroids and adverse perinatal outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and pre-eclampsia. This must, however, be weighed against the potential serious impact of severe, uncontrolled asthma itself on pregnancy outcome. The main obstacle to a valid interpretation of several of the available studies is the inadequate stratification for asthma severity and control. Overall, asthma in itself and not just poor asthma control poses a greater risk to pregnancy outcomes than asthma medication. Nonetheless, more studies focusing on disentangling the effects of asthma alone and asthma medications are needed. Increased use of stratified risk assessments, taking the concept of asthma severity into greater consideration, is much warranted in future studies.