Document Detail


Successful in utero therapy of fetal heart block.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7503173     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: Congenital complete heart block is associated with maternal autoantibodies to Ro and La proteins, which injure the fetal cardiac conduction system. We administered dexamethasone to the mothers of five fetuses with heart block caused by maternal antibodies. STUDY DESIGN: We diagnosed five cases of fetal heart block at 20 to 23 weeks and treated all mothers with dexamethasone 4 mg orally each day for the remainder of the pregnancy. All patients were positive for anti-SS-A (anti-Ro) and/or anti-SS-B (anti-La) antibodies. RESULTS: Four patients had complete heart block, and one had second-degree block. In two patients (one with complete heart block, one with second-degree heart block) the degree of block lessened with treatment. Hydrops in three complete heart block patients resolved after treatment. Maternal antibody levels did not change. Matched maternal and cord samples at delivery showed similar antibody levels. CONCLUSIONS: Complete heart block can respond to transplacental glucocorticoid therapy with improved cardiac conduction. Because there may be a concurrent myocarditis, treatment in utero may also improve cardiac contractility, leading to the observed rapid resolution of hydrops. Treatment with steroids that cross the placenta should be considered for newly diagnosed cases of complete heart block with positive antibody screens.
Authors:
J A Copel; J P Buyon; C S Kleinman
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology     Volume:  173     ISSN:  0002-9378     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.     Publication Date:  1995 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1996-01-16     Completed Date:  1996-01-16     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370476     Medline TA:  Am J Obstet Gynecol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1384-90     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Yale Fetal Cardiovascular Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8063, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Apgar Score
Autoantibodies / blood
Birth Weight
Dexamethasone / administration & dosage,  therapeutic use*
Echocardiography
Edema / drug therapy
Female
Heart Block / diagnosis,  drug therapy*,  embryology*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Pregnancy
Treatment Outcome
Ultrasonography, Prenatal
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Autoantibodies; 50-02-2/Dexamethasone
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Aug;175(2):502-3   [PMID:  8765278 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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