Pregnancy investigation in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in China / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective We investigated female patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (ⅡM),including polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) to understand if the activity and treatment of ⅡM affected the fetus outcomes as well as the correlation between pregnancy and the pathogenesis of ⅡM.Methods Questionnaires were designed,including patients' fertility,the activity and treatment of ⅡM during pregnancy and after childbirth,and the fetal outcomes.The questionnaires were conducted on 75 female patients (22-53 years old),who once hospitalized at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2007 to 2013.The mutual effect between the ⅡM disease activity,pregnancy and the fetus were compared by Chi square.Results Seventy-five patients (19 PM,56 DM) had 144 pregnancies,but only 18 of them became pregnant after the onset of the disease.There were two patients had onset of DM during pregnancy,and two patients suffered from DM after delivery or abortion within one month.The rates of abnormal pregnancy in patients with pregnancy before the onset of ⅡM was significantly lower than those with pregnancy after the onset of ⅡM (x2=10.21,P=0.001).Of the 18 pregnancies after the onset of ⅡM,7 had active ⅡM during pregnancy,3 of them flareddue to pregnancy.The 5 abnormal pregnancies (5/7) were seen in seven pregnancies totally,including two spontaneous abortion,one embryo diapause and two premature births.While of the other 11 pregnanciesin stable condition had only 2 abnormal pregnancies (2/11),including one fetus ended prematurely and one embryo diapause.The fetal outcomes were significantly related to the status of illness (x2=5.103,P=0.024).Two patients became pregant after the onset of the disease,both of them had stable disease before pregnancy.However,the disease became active during the pregnancies.One of them flared with rash during two pregnancies.The fetal end in embryo diapause and premature birth (33+4 weeks),respectively.Another flared with muscle weakness at five months of gestation.The fetal ended in premature birth (36+3 weeks).Two patients had onset of DM within one month following the delivery and voluntary abortion.Patients with active disease had taken medium to large doses of prednisone (30-60 mg) orally,in combination with hydroxychloroquine (0.2 bid) or without.In addition,two patients administrated with intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) at low dose,whose illness condition had been well controlled.Conclusion Pregnancies after the onset of ⅡM tend to end with spontaneous abortion,embryo diapause,premature birth.The fetal outcomes are significantly related to disease activity.When ⅡM flared during pregnancy,IVIG might be the most effective and safe treatment,combined with corticosteroids.