Influence of maternal systemic lupus erythematosus on first-trimester combined screening for chromosomal abnormalities.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of maternal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on first-trimester screening markers for Down syndrome.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted on 1150 normal singleton fetuses that underwent first-trimester combined screening for Down syndrome. Fetal delta nuchal translucency (NT), maternal serum PAPP-A and free beta-hCG were compared between pregnancies with SLE (n = 10) and without preexisting maternal disease (n = 1140).


RESULTS
The medians +/- SD for delta NT, log(10) MoM of PAPP-A and free beta-hCG +/- SD in pregnancies with SLE and without maternal disease were - 0.18 +/- 0.29 versus - 0.18 +/- 0.33, 0.005 +/- 0.32 versus 0.02 +/- 0.26, and 0.22 +/- 0.19 versus - 0.014 +/- 0.28, with a p value of 0.7, 0.98 and 0.03, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with preexisting SLE have increased maternal serum-free beta-hCG levels in the first-trimester. But, because of the multimodal procedure of risk calculation there is no significant difference in the screen-positive rate after the combined first-trimester screening for trisomy 21.
Heinig
J
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. heining@uni-muenster.de
Steinhard
J
J
Schmitz
R
R
Nofer
J-R
JR
Kiesel
L
L
Klockenbusch
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A