ACR: Incidence of Atrioventricular Block Increased With High Levels of Anti-SSA/Ro Antibodies

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 13, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2023 -- High levels of anti-SSA/Ro antibodies are associated with an increased incidence of fetal atrioventricular block (AVB), according to a study published online Nov. 10 in Arthritis & Rheumatology to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, held from Nov. 10 to 15 in San Diego.

Jill P. Buyon, M.D., from NYU Langone Heath in New York City, and colleagues examined the impact of anti-SSA/Ro antibody titers in the detection of fetal AVB. Women with anti-SSA/Ro antibodies were stratified into high and low anti-52kD and/or 60kD SSA/Ro titers. Fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM) was performed three times a day in the high-risk group, and they underwent weekly/biweekly echocardiography from 17 to 26 weeks. Urgent echocardiography was performed in cases of abnormal FHRM.

In 261 of 413 individuals, anti-52kD and/or 60kD SSA/Ro met the thresholds for monitoring; AVB frequency was 3.8 percent in these individuals. The researchers observed no cases with low titers. With higher levels, the incidence of AVB increased, reaching 7.7 percent for those in the top quartile of anti-60kD SSA/Ro and 27.3 percent for those with a previous child with AVB. Healthy pregnancies were not explained by decreased titers in 15 individuals with paired samples from an AVB and non-AVB pregnancy. In 45 of 30,920 recordings, FHRM was considered abnormal; urgent echocardiography confirmed 10 as AVB (seven were second-degree; one was second/third-degree; and two were third-degree AVB).

"Women with low blood anti-SSA/Ro antibody levels may be able to safely forgo the cost, stress, and time needed for daily monitoring and routine ultrasound surveillance, with such screening reserved for only those with high blood anti-SSA/Ro antibody levels," Buyon said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2023-11-14 01:13

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords