Chronic villitis in untreated neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: An etiology for severe early intrauterine growth restriction and the effect of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy

Janyne Althaus, Edward G. Weir, Fred Askin, Thomas S. Kickler, Karin Blakemore

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine placental histopathology in intravenous immunoglobulin-treated and untreated neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and correlate pathological findings with clinical outcomes. Study design: Placentas from 14 neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia-affected pregnancies were identified. Maternal antepartum treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and pregnancy outcomes were abstracted from medical records. Placental histopathology and clinical outcomes were compared between intravenous immunoglobulin and no intravenous immunoglobulin treatment groups using Fisher's exact test. One subject, treated only after an intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was diagnosed, was excluded from the analysis. P<.05 was considered significant. Results: Untreated pregnancies demonstrated a lymphoplasmacytic chronic villitis not seen in the intravenous immunoglobulin-treated pregnancies (P = .005). Intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine fetal demise occurred as frequently as ICH in the untreated group. No ICH, intrauterine growth restriction, or intrauterine fetal demises occurred in the treated group, although the P value was not significant. Conclusion: Chronic villitis is frequently manifest in neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, with intravenous immunoglobulin alleviating this inflammatory immunologic response. We suspect a more universal role for the maternal antibody, such as fetal endothelial cell damage, in the sequelae of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1100-1104
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican journal of obstetrics and gynecology
Volume193
Issue number3 SUPPL.
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2005

Keywords

  • Chronic villitis
  • Intrauterine growth restriction
  • Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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