Congenital heart block not associated with anti-Ro/La antibodies: comparison with anti-Ro/La-positive cases.
OBJECTIVE
To study anti-Ro/La-negative congenital heart block (CHB).


METHODS
Forty-five fetuses with CHB were evaluated by analysis of anti-Ro/La antibodies using sensitive laboratory methods.


RESULTS
There were 9 cases of anti-Ro/La-negative CHB; 3 died (33.3%). Only 3 (33.3%) were complete in utero and 5 (55.5%) were unstable. No specific etiology was diagnosed. Six infants (66.6%) were given pacemakers. There were 36 cases of anti-Ro/La-positive CHB. All except 2 infants (94.4%) had complete atrioventricular block in utero. Ten died (27.8%), one (2.7%) developed severe dilated cardiomyopathy, and 26 (72.2%) were given pacemakers.


CONCLUSIONS
Nine of the 45 consecutive CHB cases (20%) were anti-Ro/La-negative with no known cause. They were less stable and complete than the anti-Ro/La positive cases.
Brucato
Antonio
A
Medicina Interna, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy. albrucato@ospedaliriuniti.bergamo.it
Grava
Chiara
C
Bortolati
Maria
M
Ikeda
Keigo
K
Milanesi
Ornella
O
Cimaz
Rolando
R
Ramoni
Veronique
V
Vignati
Gabriele
G
Martinelli
Stefano
S
Sadou
Youcef
Y
Borghi
Adele
A
Tincani
Angela
A
Chan
Edward K L
EK
Ruffatti
Amelia
A
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D000099207:SS-A Antigen
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001324:Autoantigens; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D000099207:SS-A Antigen; C035356:SS-A antibodies; C035357:SS-B antibodies