title: Intravenous immunoglobulin in antiphospholipid syndrome and maternal floor infarction when standard treatment fails: a case report.
abstract: Obstetrical antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is associated with maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Standard treatment with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid and unfractionated heparin has achieved up to a 70 to 80% likelihood of success. Conversely, up to 30% of women with APS will have further pregnancy losses, despite treatment. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be a promising adjuvant when standard treatment fails. We present a case of a 35-year-old woman with obstetrical APS and maternal floor infarction in prior pregnancy losses who continued to have further unsuccessful pregnancies despite standard treatment with acetylsalicylic acid and unfractionated heparin. On an investigational basis, she was prescribed concomitant IVIG and had two subsequent healthy newborns. IVIG appears to be promising in obstetrical patients with APS who are refractory to standard treatment. Prior history of maternal floor infarction may be a prognostic indicator for triple therapy for obstetrical APS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Edwina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Houlihan
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stephenson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007238:Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008423:Maternal Age; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous