In an accompanying editorial, Bevra H. Hahn, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, described the study as an important first step. She wrote, “As the PROMISSE investigators point out, they have not yet addressed important questions about fetal prognosis and patient management in women with SLE who habitually abort in the first trimester, those with lupus flares during the first trimester, those with lupus nephritis with heavy proteinuria or renal insufficiency, or those with moderate to severe disease activity at conception. Hopefully, data are forthcoming that will guide the counseling and management of such patients. Nonetheless, the PROMISSE investigators are to be congratulated on the advances they have achieved in this difficult clinical area.”2
The researchers hope that their study can help physicians advise patients with SLE who are considering pregnancy or are already pregnant.
Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer based in the Chicago area.
References
- Buyon JP, Kim MY, Guerra MM, et al. Predictors of pregnancy outcomes in patients with lupus: A cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2015 Jun 23. doi: 10.7326/M14-2235. [Epub ahead of print]
- Hahn BH. Pregnancy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus: Messages for the clinician. Ann Intern Med. 2015 Jun 23. doi:10.7326/M15-1301. [Epub ahead of print]
