Background More than half of pregnancies in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) result in adverse outcomes for the mother or the fetus. We sought to identify aspects of current rheumatologic care that could be improved to decrease the frequency of poor outcomes. Methods Focus groups with clinical rheumatologists, based on the PRECEDE/PROCEED framework, identified factors that influenced care. A group of women with lupus on their reproductive journey contributed to our understanding of the dilemmas and care provided. Results Medically ill-timed pregnancies and medication non-adherence during pregnancy were identified by rheumatologists as the two key dilemmas in care. We identified several communication gaps as key modifiable barriers to optimal management. The approach to physician–patient communication was often unsuitable to sensitive discussions about pregnancy planning. The communication of treatment plans was frequently hampered by gaps in knowledge and both physician and patient confidence in the data, encouraging non-adherence among nervous patients. Finally, local rheumatologists and obstetricians/gynecologists providers frequently did not communicate, leading to varying treatment plans and confusion for patients. Conclusions To decrease the frequency of ill-timed pregnancy and medication non-adherence it will be essential to empower rheumatologists, and women with lupus to have open and accurate conversations about pregnancy planning and management.
Objective To determine reasons for cesarean and medically indicated deliveries in a registry of pregnant women with SLE compared to RA. Methods Pregnant women with SLE or RA were prospectively followed, and pregnancy outcomes were collected, including whether labor was spontaneous or medically indicated and delivery was vaginal or cesarean. Preterm birth was defined as a birth <37 weeks gestation. Differences in reasons for cesarean delivery and indication of delivery between term and preterm births were determined by Fisher's exact test. Results Compared to RA pregnancies, SLE pregnancies had modestly higher rates of preterm birth (24% SLE vs 14% RA), pre-eclampsia (15% SLE vs 7% RA), and cesarean delivery (48% SLE vs 30% RA). The majority of preterm births among women with SLE were indicated (70%), most commonly for pre-eclampsia or the health of the infant or mother. The majority of preterm births among women with RA, however, were spontaneous, primarily due to premature rupture of membranes. Conclusion Pre-eclampsia and maternal SLE activity appear to be the key drivers for the high rate of preterm birth and medically indicated delivery in SLE. This contrasts with RA, where preterm labor is most often due to spontaneous onset of labor.
Youth bullying is a global public health problem; Internet addiction is on the rise globally among youths. Because the linkage between these behaviors has not been clearly explicated, this integrative review evaluated the relevant empirical evidence. A search of five electronic databases identified 2,761 original citations published between January 2000 and May 2019. After further abstract screening and detailed evaluation of 262 full-text articles, the final sample consisted of 14 prospective descriptive studies representing 10 countries. Review results clearly established that the relationship between bullying and Internet addiction is firmly supported; less is known as to the contribution of gender, age, and other demographic variables, their impact on health outcomes, problematic behaviors, and the role of parental mediation. Inconsistent definitions and instrumentation and lack of sophisticated study designs limited the synthesis of findings. Future research is needed to explicate these relationships, so data-driven interventions can be developed.
Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have more pregnancy complications than healthy patients. Data regarding pregnancy outcomes in women with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) are more limited, and existing studies are concentrated in Italy and predominantly in patients with a new diagnosis. Our objective was to compare pregnancy outcomes for UCTD and SLE patients with established disease. Methods Between 2008 and 2017, patients with UCTD and SLE at an academic medical center were recruited to a prospective pregnancy registry. UCTD was defined as a positive autoantibody plus connective tissue disease symptoms not meeting criteria for another rheumatic diagnosis. SLE was defined by American College of Rheumatology or Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics classification criteria or by physician diagnosis. Data were collected throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Comparator groups included UCTD, low‐activity SLE, and high‐activity SLE. Results A total of 150 SLE and 51 UCTD pregnancies were analyzed. Disease activity was low in most patients, although more patients with SLE had severe activity during pregnancy (12% versus 2%; P = 0.05). The frequencies of prematurity and preeclampsia were significantly lower in UCTD than in high‐activity SLE patients (preterm 17% versus 45% [P = 0.004] and preeclampsia 6% versus 34% [P = 0.0008]), although similar to low‐activity SLE patients. More infants who were small for gestational age were born to SLE than UCTD patients (33% versus 7% [P = 0.0005]), regardless of disease activity level. Conclusion Pregnancies in women with UCTD managed by a rheumatologist have a high rate of pregnancy success and fewer risks than those in women with active SLE.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.