Analysis of pregnancies in women with Takayasu arteritis: complication of Takayasu arteritis involving obstetric or cardiovascular events

Abstract

Aims: The incidence of Takayasu arteritis during child-bearing years is relatively high. The management of pregnancies in patients with this disease is of great importance in clinical obstetrics. Here we analyzed pregnancies of women with Takayasu arteritis with and without complications.

Material and methods: We retrospectively identified 27 pregnancies in 20 women with Takayasu arteritis seen between 1983 and 2005 at the National Cardiovascular Center, in Osaka, Japan. The incidences of obstetric events, steroid dose increase in pregnancy, and cardiovascular events were compared between group I (no complications), group II (one complication), and group III (two or more complications).

Results: None of the pregnancies showed Takayasu arteritis activity. The obstetric events were pre-eclampsia in four pregnancies (15%), fetal growth restriction in one (4%), and abruption in one (4%). Three pregnancies involved a steroids dose increase. There were no cardiovascular events. Eighty percent of the pregnancies that included an obstetric event also involved the mother's chronic hypertension.

Conclusions: Pregnant women without active Takayasu arteritis have a low risk of developing a cardiovascular event. For women with chronic hypertension, it might be important to note the development of pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and abruption.

Keywords: Takayasu arteritis; fetal growth restriction; hypertension; pre-eclampsia; pregnancy.