Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of pregnant patients with recurrent pregnancy losses associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.
The effects of high dose iv-immunoglobulin on antiphospholipid antibody levels and on pregnancy outcome was studied in one patient with secondary (SLE) and two patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome during their four pregnancies. These three women had had two pulmonary embolies related to pregnancy and estrogen containing pills, 13 miscarriages and only one liveborn after pre-eclamptic pregnancy. During the four pregnancies the patients also received 75 mg of aspirin per day. Progressive depression of IgG-anticardiolipin antibody titer was observed after repetitive high dose iv-immunoglobulin (1 g/kg body-weight) infusions. The effects on lupus anticoagulant were variable. Three pregnancies ended in a delivery of healthy child after 36-38 weeks of gestation and one preterm child (34 weeks), with slight respiratory distress syndrome, was born. Our results support the idea that the addition of iv-immunoglobulin to aspirin prophylaxis is worth considering when the patient has a severe antiphospholipid syndrome and/or is refractory to usual treatments.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital of Helsinki, Finland.
R
R
Kaaja
H
H
Julkunen
P
P
Ammälä
T
T
Palosuo
P
P
Kurki
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D001241:Aspirin