An Overview of Neonatal Lupus with Anti-Ro Characteristics

Early-onset lupus nephritis

Early-onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by the onset of disease manifestations during childhood. Despite some similarities to patients who are diagnosed during adulthood, early-onset SLE typically displays a greater disease severity, with aggressive multiorgan involvement, lower responsiveness to classical therapies, and more frequent flares. Lupus nephritis is one of the most severe complications of SLE and represents a major risk factor for long-term morbidity and mortality, especially in children. This review focuses on the clinical and histological aspects of early-onset lupus nephritis, aiming at highlighting relevant differences with adult patients, emphasizing long-term outcomes and discussing the management of long-term complications. We also discuss monogenic lupus, a spectrum of conditions caused by single gene variants affecting the complement cascade, extracellular and intracellular nucleic acid sensing and processing, and occasionally other metabolic pathways. These monogenic forms typically develop early in life and often have clinical manifestations that resemble sporadic SLE, whereas their response to standard treatments is poor.

Case Report: Bradycardia in neonatal lupus: differential diagnosis between atrioventricular block and premature atrial contractions with block

Neonatal lupus may be associated with severe cardiac conduction problems, including high-degree or complete atrioventricular (AV) block, necessitating immediate pacemaker implantation during the neonatal period. However, cardiac manifestations of neonatal lupus may extend beyond AV block. Our case was a full-term female neonate, who presented with fetal arrhythmia and bradycardia with a heart rate of approximately 70-75 beats per minute after birth. Neonatal lupus was diagnosed later due to positive maternal and neonatal anti-SSA/Ro antibody. High-degree AV block was considered initially but bigeminy premature atrial contractions (PACs) with block was confirmed through a detailed evaluation of an electrocardiogram, which demonstrated unfixed PP intervals and fixed RR intervals. Atrial tachycardia (AT) developed when the neonate was 23 days old. The key point that differentiates high-degree AV block from PACs with block is the PP interval. The PP interval is fixed in high-degree AV block and unfixed in PACs with block. Careful differential diagnosis is required in neonates with bradycardia because it may lead to very different management. Our case presents a good illustration of why these arrhythmias need to be differentiated. Furthermore, our case may be the first of neonatal lupus with AT.

Modern Management of Pregnancy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From Prenatal Counseling to Postpartum Support

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. Pregnancy in SLE patients poses unique challenges due to the potential impact on maternal and fetal outcomes. We provide an overview of the management of SLE during pregnancy, including preconception risk stratification and counseling, treatment, and disease activity monitoring. These assessments are critical to minimize maternal and fetal adverse events in pregnant patients with SLE. Disease flares, preeclampsia, antiphospholipid syndrome complications, and maternal mortality are the major risks for a woman with SLE during gestation. Timely treatment of SLE relapse, differentiation of preeclampsia from lupus nephritis, and tailored management for antiphospholipid syndrome are essential for a successful pregnancy. Fetal outcomes include neonatal lupus (NL), preterm birth, cesarean delivery, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. We focused on NL, linked to maternal anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies, which can lead to various manifestations, particularly cardiac abnormalities, in newborns. While there is a common consensus regarding the preventive effect of hydroxychloroquine, the role of echocardiographic monitoring and fluorinated steroid treatment is still debated. Finally, close postpartum monitoring and counseling for subsequent pregnancies are crucial aspects of care.

Sjogren's Antibodies and Neonatal Lupus: A Scoping Review

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of exocrine glands. The disorder predominantly affects middle-aged women. Autoantibodies, including anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La antibodies, are present in most cases of SS. These antibodies can cross the placenta and likely play a role in pregnancy complications as well as the development of neonatal lupus, resulting in congenital heart block (CHB). It is essential to monitor the fetus for CHB during pregnancy. In particular, screening with echocardiography and monitoring heart rate at home are recommended practices. Regarding medical management, hydroxychloroquine and glucocorticoids have shown promise in reducing cardiac manifestations, but further research is needed to elucidate their longer term efficacy and safety. This scoping review analyzes literature from 2001 to 2024, focusing on pregnancy outcomes among women with SS, clinical manifestations of neonatal lupus, the role of anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La antibodies in the development of neonatal lupus and CHB, and emphasizes the need for future research efforts to refine treatment protocols and enhance clinical care strategies for pregnant women with SS.

Molecular Mechanisms of Fetal and Neonatal Lupus: A Narrative Review of an Autoimmune Disease Transferal across the Placenta

This study, conducted by searching keywords such as "maternal lupus", "neonatal lupus", and "congenital heart block" in databases including PubMed and Scopus, provides a detailed narrative review on fetal and neonatal lupus. Autoantibodies like anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB may cross the placenta and cause complications in neonates, such as congenital heart block (CHB). Management options involve hydroxychloroquine, which is able to counteract some of the adverse events, although the drug needs to be used carefully because of its impact on the QTc interval. Advanced pacing strategies for neonates with CHB, especially in severe forms like hydrops, are also assessed. This review emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary care by rheumatologists, obstetricians, and pediatricians in order to achieve the best maternal and neonatal health in lupus pregnancies. This multidisciplinary approach seeks to improve the outcomes and management of the disease, decreasing the burden on mothers and their infants.

Lupus and recurrent pregnancy loss: the role of female sex hormones and B cells

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by uncontrolled activation of adaptive immunity, particularly B cells, which predominantly affects women in a 9 to 1 ratio compared to men. This stark sex disparity strongly suggests a role for female sex hormones in the disease's onset and progression. Indeed, it is widely recognized that estradiol not only enhances the survival of autoreactive B cells but also stimulates the production of autoantibodies associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, such as anti-nuclear antibodies and anti-dsDNA antibodies. Clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus typically emerge after puberty and persist throughout reproductive life. Furthermore, symptoms often exacerbate during the premenstrual period and pregnancy, as increased levels of estradiol can contribute to disease flares. Despite being fertile, women with lupus face a heightened risk of pregnancy-related complications, including pregnancy loss and stillbirth, which significantly surpass the rates observed in the healthy population. Therefore, this review aims to summarize and discuss the existing literature on the influence of female sex hormones on B-cell activation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, with a particular emphasis on their impact on pregnancy loss.

Increased risk of congenital malformations in offspring born to women with systemic lupus erythematosus in South Korea: a nationwide population-based study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the risk of congenital malformations in offspring born to women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

This nationwide population-based study included Korean women who had a singleton pregnancy. The risk of congenital malformations in women with SLE was compared with those without SLE. Multivariable analyses were performed to estimate the OR of congenital malformations. In a sensitivity analysis, the risk of malformation was compared between the offspring of women with SLE and those of propensity-matched women without SLE.

RESULTS

Of a total of 3 279 204 pregnant women, 0.1% had SLE and their offspring had a higher frequency of congenital malformations (17.13% vs 11.99%, p<0.0001). After adjustment for age, parity, hypertension, diabetes, and fetal sex, the SLE group was found to be associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations in the nervous system (adjusted OR (aOR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.20 to 3.03), eye, ear, face, and neck (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.71), circulatory system (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.67 to 2.20), and musculoskeletal system (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.52). Even after propensity matching, some of the tendencies were maintained.

CONCLUSIONS

This nationwide population-based study in South Korea indicates that compared with the general population, neonates born to SLE mothers have a slightly increased risk of congenital malformations affecting the nervous system, head and neck, cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system. When a woman with lupus becomes pregnant, careful fetal ultrasound and newborn screening can be helpful in identifying the risk of potential malformations.

Prenatal predisposing factors associated with neonatal lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVES

To identify the prenatal predisposing factors related to neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective case-control study was made of 131 pregnant women with positive anti-Ro or anti-La autoantibodies and known neonatal outcomes between January 2002 and December 2019 at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. There were 101 unaffected neonates and 30 NLE cases confirmed postnatally. Demographic and clinical data of the mothers and neonates with and without NLE were statistically compared.

RESULTS

NLE was diagnosed in 30 out of 131 cases. A multivariate analysis identified the following significant factors for NLE: maternal anti-La antibodies (odds ratio (OR), 3.591; p = 0.030); and maternal treatment with either hydroxychloroquine (OR, 0.082; p = 0.001) or prednisolone (OR, 0.136; p = 0.017). Of the significant variables examined in the multivariate analysis models, high levels of maternal anti-La antibodies were found to be the strongest predictor of noncardiac NLE (OR, 4.558; p = 0.032), while a female baby was significantly higher in pregnancies complicated by cardiac NLE (OR, 5.374; p = 0.046). Hydroxychloroquine still provided a protective effect for both cardiac and noncardiac NLE (p = 0.039 and 0.032, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The maternal anti-La antibodies were a beneficial predictor for NLE, especially as their high titers were influentially associated with noncardiac features. A female fetus seemed to present an increased risk for developing a congenital heart block. Nevertheless, the treatment with hydroxychloroquine during the pregnancies demonstrated a potentially protective factor against both cardiac and noncardiac manifestations.

Cardiac manifestations in a Chinese cohort of fetuses from mothers with anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the clinical characteristics, echocardiographic features, and prognosis of fetuses based on three groups of cardiac manifestations associated with maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies in China. This study included three groups: the isolated-arrhythmia, isolated-endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), and mixed groups.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated 36 fetuses with cardiac manifestations due to maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies from our center between 2016 and 2020 in China. Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected.

RESULTS

There were 13 patients (36%) in the isolated-arrhythmia group, eight (22%) in the isolated-EFE group, and 15 (42%) in the mixed group. All patients in the isolated-EFE group presented with mild EFE. Severe EFE was identified in four patients (27%) in the mixed group. Atrioventricular block (AVB) was more common in the isolated-arrhythmia group (13, 100%) than in the mixed group (6, 40%; p = 0.001). Moderate-severe mitral regurgitation (p = 0.006), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, p = 0.017), and low cardiovascular profile scores (p = 0.013) were more common in the mixed group than in the other two groups. Twenty-one mothers decided to terminate the pregnancy and 15 fetuses were born with regular perinatal treatment. They all survived at 1 year of age. One patient in the isolated-arrhythmia group and two in the mixed group required a pacemaker due to third-degree AVB or atrioventricular junctional rhythm. Five patients in the isolated-EFE group and five in the mixed group had no DCM or heart failure and the location of mild EFE was significantly reduced.

CONCLUSION

Fetal cardiac manifestations due to maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies can be divided into three groups, i.e., the isolated-arrhythmia, isolated-EFE, and mixed groups. AVB usually occurs in the isolated-arrhythmia group. Severe EFE, moderate-severe mitral regurgitation, and DCM mainly appear in the mixed group. Location of mild EFE significantly reduces after birth and the outcome of fetuses with mild EFE depends on the presence of arrhythmia and its subtypes.