Infants born to mothers with anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies: neonatal outcome and follow-up.
Neonatal lupus syndrome is considered a model of passively acquired autoimmune disease. The first 10 newborns born to mothers with connective tissue disease and positive for anti-SSA/Ro antibodies enrolled in a follow-up program to evaluate the incidence of cardiac, hepatobiliary, hematologic, echoencephalographic, and cutaneous manifestations until 9 months of age are described in this study. No congenital heart block was observed, but only transient rhythm alterations were observed. In all, 1 infant showed typical neonatal lupus syndrome skin lesions at 3 months of age. During the neonatal period, echoencephalographic alterations were found more frequently, whereas at follow-up, hepatic and hematologic alterations were more often observed. In all, 1 baby showed persistent neutropenia. A standard program that enrolls all infants born to mothers with anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies, who are at risk of developing neonatal lupus syndrome, should also include tests performed some time after birth, as a number of clinical manifestations might appear at a late stage.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. zuppaaa@rm.unicatt.it
Antonio Alberto
AA
Zuppa
Annalisa
A
Fracchiolla
Francesco
F
Cota
Francesca
F
Gallini
Immacolata
I
Savarese
Vito
V
D'Andrea
Rita
R
Luciano
Costantino
C
Romagnoli
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005076:Exanthema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000151:congenital / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; C035356:SS-A antibodies