Value of second-trimester uterine artery pulsatility index in pregnancies with systemic lupus erythematosus and/or antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To assess the value of the second trimester mean pulsatility index of the uterine arteries (MPI-UtA) to predict adverse perinatal outcome (APO) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: Pregnancies with either an SLE diagnosis or with primary APS controlled at our Hospital during a 10 years period were included. MPI-UtA was performed between 19-23 weeks' gestation. The MPI-UtA was defined as abnormal when it was >95^th centile. APO was defined as the presence of: preeclampsia (PE), small for gestational age (SGA) newborn, preterm delivery, placental abruption and fetal or neonatal death.

Results: There were 39 ongoing pregnancies, 16 of them with SLE and 23 with primary APS. Nine patients had no previous pregnancy (23%). Globally, 35 live births were recorded, being the mean gestational age at delivery 38.1 ± 2.1 weeks and the mean birth weight 2835 ± 492 g. Abnormal MPI-UtA was found in 6 (15%) pregnancies, all of them (100%) had an APO: there were 4 fetal deaths and 2 further severe PE with live newborn. Normal MPI-UtA was shown in the remaining 33 (84.6%); of them, 6 (18%) had an APO: one late PE with a premature newborn, another one severe preterm baby and 4 SGA term newborns. No cases of perinatal death occurred in this group. Therefore, accuracy of MPI-UtA evaluation for APO was: sensitivity 50%, specificity 100%, PPV 100% and NPV 82%, respectively (p < .001).

Conclusion: Abnormal second-trimester uterine artery Doppler evaluation is highly predictive for adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies affected by SLE or APS.

Keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; adverse perinatal outcome; antiphospholipid syndrome; pregnancy; uterine doppler.