2024/11/15 by Vijaya Prasanna Parimi, Vinod Ravindran · 1 voice
Medicine · #Eosinophilic Disorders and Syndromes #Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research #Systemic Sclerosis and Related Diseases
paper · pdf · doi:10.3899/jrheum.2024-0828
openalex publication_date 2024/11/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) primarily affect women during their reproductive years, and pregnancy can be enormously challenging in these women. Increased prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in these women, such as preterm birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA), and preeclampsia, is well recognized. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that pregnancy may contribute to the progression of preclinical autoimmune disease and APOs might be the clue to such progression.1 In women without ARDs, multiple studies have underscored a link between APOs and the mother’s increased risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD).2-5 However, it is unclear whether similar risks exist in women with ARDs, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and whether CVD-related events somehow translate into APOs in these women. Quantifying and understanding underlying mechanisms are crucial, as cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality are higher in several ARDs.6,7 In this issue of The Journal of Rheumatology , Dhital et al explore the relationship between CV events (CVEs) that occurred during pregnancy and the risks of APOs (PTB, SGA, or a composite of either) among women with ARDs in a large, retrospective population cohort of pregnant women who gave birth to singleton liveborn infants, using relevant linked databases.8 They found higher CVEs in pregnant women with ARDs (1.4%) and APS (5.5%) compared to those who had neither (0.3%). Rates of APOs were also higher in women with ARDs (26.9%) and APS (21.2%) than in those without (15.2%). Additionally, CVEs were linked to a higher risk of composite APOs for all groups under study, with adjusted risk ratios ranging from 1.2 to 1.4. Compared to the control group (those without CVEs or ARDs/APS), the adjusted risk differences of APOs per 100 births were 7.8 (95% … Address correspondence to Dr. V. Ravindran, Centre for Rheumatology, Calicut, Kerala 673009, India. Email: drvinod12atgmail.com.