Hypocomplementemia correlates with intrauterine growth retardation in systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to elucidate fetomaternal risks in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-complicated pregnancy.


METHODS
Pregnancy course, complications, and fetal outcome in 82 pregnancies of 55 patients with SLE were investigated.


RESULTS
These 82 pregnancies resulted in 14 fetal losses and 66 live births. Without clinical manifestation of SLE-flare, 4 of 8 patients who had low serum complement activity during the pregnancies delivered small-for-date neonates. The rate of the intrauterine growth retardation was significantly higher than that observed in pregnancies with normal complement activity. The frequency of premature deliveries (60%) in patients who received more than 15 mg/day of prednisolone was significantly high when compared with pregnancies maintained by 0-15 mg/day (13.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the preconceptional and perinatal management necessary in SLE and suggest that the pregnancy with hypocomplementemia, the disease activity, and/or a relatively high maintenance dose of corticosteroid should be carefully managed and monitored.
Kobayashi
N
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Yamada
H
H
Kishida
T
T
Kato
E H
EH
Ebina
Y
Y
Sakuragi
N
N
Kobashi
G
G
Tsutsumi
A
A
Fujimoto
S
S
D000328:Adult; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000276:immunology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D003165:Complement System Proteins; D011239:Prednisolone