Neonatal lupus: Follow-up in infants with anti-SSA/Ro antibodies and review of the literature. 2017

Antonio Alberto Zuppa, and Riccardo Riccardi, and Simonetta Frezza, and Francesca Gallini, and Rita Maria Paola Luciano, and Giovanni Alighieri, and Costantino Romagnoli, and Sara De Carolis
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Neonatal Lupus Syndrome (NLS) is a distinct clinical entity caused by transplacental passage of maternal anti-SSA/Ro antibodies (Ab). Mothers may have systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, or other connective tissue disease, or may be completely healthy at the time of giving birth. NLS includes several clinical manifestations: complete congenital heart block (CCHB) and cutaneous lupus are the most common, while hepatobiliary disease, hematological manifestations and central nervous system involvement may occur. Data from literature on the incidence of the different clinical manifestations of NLS are difficult to compare because they come mostly from retrospective studies or prospective studies, but up to date no systematic follow-up was carried out. We performed a large prospective single-center study with a systematic clinical and instrumental follow-up until 9months of life, in order to evaluate the incidence and the clinical impact of NLS features. From 2004 to 2014 all infants born in our center to mothers with anti-SSA/Ro Ab were enrolled in a specific diagnostic and follow-up (FU) program. At birth, 50 infants born to mothers with anti-SSA/Ro Ab were found positive for anti-SSA/Ro Ab. Infants were tested for anti SSA/Ro Ab at 3months of life, if positive they were re-tested at 6 and 9months. At 9months anti-SSA/Ro Ab were positive in 10% of children. In two cases (4%) a CCHB was identified during pregnancy and required pacemaker implantation at birth. In 10% of cases a transient ECG alterations was found during follow-up. Hematological NLS features (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia) were found at birth and during FU in several patients, in all cases without clinical manifestations and in most cases with complete normalization at 9months. Mild and transient elevation of aminotransferases between 3 and 6months of life were found in 56% and 40% of patient, respectively; non-specific ultrasound cerebral anomalies in absence of clinical neurological signs were found at birth in 9 patients (18%), subsequently normalized. Prenatal maternal screening is of primary importance in order to early detect CCHB, which requires maternal treatment and pacemaker implantation at birth. Infants born to mothers with anti-SSA/Ro Ab should be monitored for all NLS features at birth. However, during the first months of life, these infants seem to develop only mild, transient and self-limited clinical manifestations, which in most cases are completely solved at 9months of life. This consideration, together with the evidence that only 10% of infants had anti-SSA/Ro Ab persistent in blood at 9months, suggests that follow-up of these children can be performed until 6-9months of life with good clinical safety. Moreover, a clinical and laboratory monitoring at 3months of life, when the highest incidence of hematological features and liver tests alterations are observed, is strongly recommended. In the future, it would be clarified if a follow-up until adulthood would be indicated in cases with persistent anti SSA/Ro or in all infants born to mother with anti SSA/Ro.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008180 Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic A chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue, characterized principally by involvement of the skin, joints, kidneys, and serosal membranes. It is of unknown etiology, but is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. The disease is marked by a wide range of system dysfunctions, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the formation of LE cells in the blood or bone marrow. Libman-Sacks Disease,Lupus Erythematosus Disseminatus,Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Disease, Libman-Sacks,Libman Sacks Disease
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000974 Antibodies, Antinuclear Autoantibodies directed against various nuclear antigens including DNA, RNA, histones, acidic nuclear proteins, or complexes of these molecular elements. Antinuclear antibodies are found in systemic autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, polymyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease. Anti-DNA Antibodies,Antibodies, Anti-DNA,Antinuclear Antibodies,Antinuclear Autoantibodies,Antinuclear Autoantibody,Antinuclear Factors,Antinuclear Antibody,Antinuclear Factor,Anti DNA Antibodies,Antibody, Antinuclear,Autoantibody, Antinuclear,Factor, Antinuclear
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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