title: The significance of antiphospholipid antibodies in pregnant women with chronic hypertension.
abstract: The objective of this study was to perform antiphospholipid antibody screening in women with chronic hypertension to assess whether the presence of such antibodies is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. Serum for anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant was obtained in pregnant women with chronic hypertension who had no other indications for such testing. The primary outcomes of interest were the development of superimposed preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and fetal growth restriction. Only 8 (9%) of the 87 women enrolled tested positive (> 95th percentile) for anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G. None tested positive for lupus anticoagulant. The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. We were unable to demonstrate that screening for antiphospholipid antibodies is a useful clinical practice in women whose only pregnancy complication was chronic hypertension. The significance of such antibodies in this particular group of patients can only be resolved with a large multicenter study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gerda G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Zeeman
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: McIntire
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Leveno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000276:immunology*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid