title: Ciclosporin use during pregnancy.
abstract: Ciclosporin (cyclosporine) is an immunosuppressive drug first approved for use in organ transplantation to prevent rejection. Ciclosporin is also known to be used for the treatment of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease, among other indications. While it is recommended that all medications that are not absolutely necessary should be avoided during pregnancy, this may not be an option for many women whose quality of life is significantly impacted without treatment, or for those who must continue immunosuppressive therapy to avoid organ rejection. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive report from the literature of ciclosporin exposure during pregnancy. PubMed, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for English-language articles published from 1970 to 2012 that included reports of pregnant women treated at any time during pregnancy with ciclosporin. On an initial search, it was evident that much of the available information is limited to pregnancy after transplant, which suggests that ciclosporin use during pregnancy appears to be associated with premature delivery and low birthweight infants. Comorbidities such as hypertension, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus are also reported at higher incidences than the general population. Medical literature concerning women with autoimmune disorders exposed to ciclosporin during pregnancy are currently limited to case reports and registry data, and, as such, it is difficult to determine if any risks associated with ciclosporin therapy during pregnancy are due to exposure to the drug alone or to pre-existing maternal comorbidities. The literature suggests that ciclosporin therapy during pregnancy should be carefully considered by the treating physician, but may be a safe alternative for patients with autoimmune disease refractory to conventional treatment. Continued monitoring of this patient population remains a key component to understanding the risk factors associated with ciclosporin exposure during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paziana
authors.forename: Magaly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Monaco
authors.forename: Elyce
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cardonick
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coscia
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Armenti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine