PREGNANCY IN RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS - 25 PREGNANCIES IN 11 PATIENTS

Objective. To determine maternal and fetal outcome in pregnant women w ith relapsing polychondritis (RP). Methods. Retrospective review of 11 records selected from among those of 116 female RP (Michet's criteria ) patients. Results. In these 11 women, 25 pregnancies occurred after or concomitantly with the onset of RP. The mean (+/-SD) age at RP onse t was 25 +/- 5 years (range 15-31). Therapeutic abortion was performed in 1 woman because of ongoing cyclophosphamide treatment. Disease fla re occurred in 7 of 24 pregnancies, requiring treatment modification i n 2 cases. RP was considered stable in 16 and asymptomatic in 1 of the 24. Treatment of RP was with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (2 o f 24), steroids (13 of 24), dapsone (7 of 24), or plasma exchanges (1 of 24); no treatment was given in 8 of the 24 pregnancies. In 14 pregn ancies, the course was uneventful. Ten pregnancies were complicated by ectopic nidation (n = 3), spontaneous abortion (n = 3), premature bir th (n = 3), and premature rupture of membranes (n = 1), Eighteen norma l children were born. Conclusion. Pregnancy does not seem to modify th e course of RP, Successful pregnancies may be achieved in women with R P. No RP was observed in the neonates.