Pregnant patients with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus may be at an increased risk of experiencing adverse pregnancy outcomes and postpartum rehospitalizations compared with pregnant patients in the general population, according to a report from Healio. In a retrospective study published by Singh et al in Arthritis Care & Research, investigators examined the pregnancy outcomes of 1,223 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 1,354 patients with lupus and discovered that the infants of those with lupus had a greater risk of developing malformations (risk ratio [RR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21–1.75), dying within the first 2 years following birth (RR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.21–3.67), and being rehospitalized within 1 year following birth. Additionally, 4% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.62–3.04) and 6% those with lupus (RR = 2.78; 95% CI = 2.15–3.59) needed rehospitalization within 6 months after giving birth—as well as experiencing preeclampsia or requiring a Cesarean section. The investigators concluded that despite demonstrating the burdens of these adverse events, further studies need to be conducted to identify treatment options that may prevent them from occurring in the first place.
May 25, 2023