ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Transplacental passage of maternal anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies, potentially associated with maternal autoimmune diseases, can cause neonatal lupus syndrome. Given the paucity of data in this setting, we report short- and long-term outcomes of mothers of offspring with congenital heart block (CHB). METHODS: This retrospective study included anti-SSA/SSB antibody-positive mothers of fetuses with high-degree CHB and focused on their health status before pregnancy, at CHB diagnosis, and thereafter. RESULTS: We analyzed 215 women with at least 1 pregnancy with CHB. Prior to this diagnosis, only 52 (24%) mothers had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; n = 26, 12%) and Sjögren syndrome (SS; n = 16, 7%). Six more were diagnosed with an autoimmune disease during the index pregnancy. Of the 157 mothers (73%) with no such diagnosis at childbirth, 77 (49%) developed one after a median follow-up of 11 years (range: 21 days to 54 years). By the end of follow-up, 135 women (63%) had an autoimmune disease diagnosis, mainly SLE (n = 54, 25%) and SS (n = 72, 33%). Three patients with SLE had renal involvement, and only 6 (3%) had required an immunosuppressive drug at any point. The symptoms best predicting autoimmune disease development were arthralgia and myalgia (P < 0.001), dry syndrome (P = 0.01), and parotid swelling (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: One-quarter of the patients had an autoimmune disease diagnosis at the time of the fetal CHB diagnosis. Nearly half of those without an initial diagnosis progressed during follow-up, most without severe manifestations. Severe diseases such as lupus nephritis were rarely seen, and immunosuppressive drugs were rarely required.