title: Newborns of Chinese mother with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
abstract: From January, 1979 to December, 1990, 105 pregnancies of the 87 mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied. There were 15 (14.29%) fetal losses. Among the 90 livebirths, 23 (25.5%) were moderately premature; and 1 (1.1%), was extremely premature. All but 2 (2.2%) had an Apgar score more than 7 at 1 minute. There was no neonatal death. Significantly lower birth body weights were noted compared with the matched control group (p = 0.0001). Birth body length and head circumference were not different. Only 1 of the 13 newborns who had been small for gestational age at birth had body weight and length less than the 3rd percentile during follow-up. Three (3.3%) newborns presented as congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB). Their mothers were all positive for SSA (Ro) antibody. One of them obligatorily needed pacemaker implantation. ECG abnormalities including multiple ventricular premature contractions, wandering atrial pacemaker, sinus arrhythmia, and first degree A-V block were detected in another six newborns. Congenital cardiac defect with secundum type atrial septal defect was noted in two newborns (2.2%). Among the 59 mothers who had been tested for SSA antibody, 29 (49.1%) were positive. The incidence of complete A-V block was significantly higher in newborns of mothers with SSA antibody (p < 0.001). On the contrary, the frequency of fetal loss has higher in newborns of mothers without SSA antibody (p = 0.0043).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000151:congenital / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome