A recent study published in the Nature Scientific Reports found that women with Takayasu arteritis (TA) have increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes than general population.
Takayasu arteritis (large vessel vasculitis) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the aorta and its branches, mainly in young women. Due to its systemic nature, pregnancies in TA patients are at high risk of adverse outcomes. There is limited information on the incidence of adverse pregnancy events in these patients. So, Styliani Partalidou and team undertook this study to evaluate the prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, hypertension, and pre-eclampsia, in women with TA. The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies, which included a total of 825 pregnancies in TA patients.

The key findings of the study were:
The prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in TA patients was high.
The occurrence of miscarriage was 16%, hypertension was 37%, and pre-eclampsia was 14%, which in turn indicate that TA patients have a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes than the general population.
Also, close monitoring is essential for pregnant women with TA to ensure the best possible outcomes.
It is also essential to develop and implement management strategies that can improve pregnancy outcomes in TA patients.
The study has some limitations, including the possibility of publication bias and heterogeneity among the studies analyzed. The quality of the studies included in the analysis was also variable, and some studies had a small sample size. Despite these limitations, this study provides important insights into the prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with TA and highlights the need for close monitoring and effective management strategies.

Source:
Partalidou, S., Mamopoulos, A., Dimopoulou, D., & Dimitroulas, T. (2023). Pregnancy outcomes in Takayasu arteritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. In Scientific Reports (Vol. 13, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27379-9