Short and long-term outcomes of children with autoimmune congenital heart block treated with a combined maternal-neonatal therapy. A comparison study

The short and long-term outcomes of children with anti-Ro/La-related congenital heart block treated with a combined maternal-neonatal therapy protocol were compared with those of controls treated with other therapies.Sixteen mothers were treated during pregnancy with a therapy consisting of daily oral fluorinated steroids, weekly plasma exchange and fortnightly intravenous immunoglobulins and their neonates with intravenous immunoglobulins (study group); 19 mothers were treated with fluorinated steroids alone or associated to intravenous immunoglobulins or plasma exchange (control group).The combined-therapy children showed a significantly lower progression rate from 2nd to 3rd degree block at birth, a significant increase in heart rate at birth and a significantly lower number of pacemaker implants during post-natal follow-up with respect to those treated with the other therapies.The combined therapy produced better short and long term outcomes with respect to the other therapies studied.