Neonatal lupus in triplet pregnancy of a patient with undifferentiated connective tissue disease evolving to systemic lupus erythematosus

Lupus. 2009 Apr;18(4):368-71. doi: 10.1177/0961203308097512.

Abstract

Pregnancy in patients suffering from undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) represents a risk situation for both the mother and the child. SSA/SSB autoantibodies can determine neonatal lupus (NL) in the foetus, regardless of the maternal disease. Furthermore, pregnancy increases the risk of flares and evolution to differentiated connective tissue disease (CTD). We report an uncommon case in which these complications occurred in a mother and in her foetuses. A 37-year-old woman affected by UCTD developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) after her triplet pregnancy. The only manifestation of neonatal lupus we observed in the three newborns was SSA positivity associated with asymptomatic transient neutropenia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / metabolism
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / complications*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
  • Male
  • Neutropenia / etiology
  • Neutropenia / immunology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / immunology*
  • Triplets

Substances

  • Autoantibodies