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. 2022 Sep;42(9):1161-1168.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01431-4. Epub 2022 Jun 18.

Short and long-term outcomes of children with autoimmune congenital heart block treated with a combined maternal-neonatal therapy. A comparison study

Amelia Ruffatti  1 , Alessia Cerutti  2 , Marta Tonello  3 , Maria Favaro  3 , Teresa Del Ross  3 , Antonia Calligaro  3 , Chiara Grava  4 , Margherita Zen  3 , Ariela Hoxha  5 , Giovanni Di Salvo  2
Affiliations

Short and long-term outcomes of children with autoimmune congenital heart block treated with a combined maternal-neonatal therapy. A comparison study

Amelia Ruffatti et al. J Perinatol. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: The short and long-term outcomes of children with anti-Ro/La-related congenital heart block treated with a combined maternal-neonatal therapy protocol were compared with those of controls treated with other therapies.

Study design: Sixteen mothers were treated during pregnancy with a therapy consisting of daily oral fluorinated steroids, weekly plasma exchange and fortnightly intravenous immunoglobulins and their neonates with intravenous immunoglobulins (study group); 19 mothers were treated with fluorinated steroids alone or associated to intravenous immunoglobulins or plasma exchange (control group).

Result: The combined-therapy children showed a significantly lower progression rate from 2nd to 3rd degree block at birth, a significant increase in heart rate at birth and a significantly lower number of pacemaker implants during post-natal follow-up with respect to those treated with the other therapies.

Conclusion: The combined therapy produced better short and long term outcomes with respect to the other therapies studied.

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References

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