IVIG Does Not Prevent Neonatal Lupus Erythematosus–Associated Heart Block

Intravenous immune globulin had no effect on maternal antibody levels or on incidence of congenital heart block.

As previously reported, mothers of neonates with cutaneous or cardiac neonatal lupus (NL) have an increased risk for development of congenital heart block (CHB) in subsequent pregnancies. Investigators in two recent studies evaluated the safety and efficacy of preventive intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) during pregnancy in these women.

Pisoni and colleagues administered 400 mg/kg of IVIG at 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 weeks of gestation to antibody-positive pregnant mothers with at least one previous pregnancy in which CHB developed. They found no differences in the rates of CHB in 15 pregnancies with IVIG administration and 9 pregnancies without (3/15 vs. 1/9). Friedman and colleagues evaluated the incidence of fetal CHB and effects on levels …

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board XOMA; Eli Lilly; Celgene

Equity Various trust accounts

Editorial boards JAMA Dermatology; UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societies Association of Professors of Dermatology (President-Elect)