Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy: evolution of disease activity and pathophysiological considerations for drug use.

Hazes, Johanna M W;Coulie, Pierre;Geenen, Vincent;Vermeire, Séverine;De Keyser, Filip;et.al.
(2011) Rheumatology — Vol. 50, n° 11, p. 1955-1968 (2011)

Files

HAZES_RHEUMA2011.pdf
  • Restricted Access
  • Adobe PDF
  • 500.54 KB

Details

Authors
  • Hazes, Johanna M W
    Author
  • Author
  • Geenen, Vincent
    Author
  • Vermeire, Séverine
    Author
  • De Keyser, Filip
    Author
Show more
Abstract
It has long been known that pregnancy and childbirth have a profound effect on the disease activity of rheumatic diseases. For clinicians, the management of patients with RA wishing to become pregnant involves the challenge of keeping disease activity under control and adequately adapting drug therapy during pregnancy and post-partum. This article aims to summarize the current evidence on the evolution of RA disease activity during and after pregnancy and the use of anti-rheumatic drugs around this period. Of recent interest is the potential use of anti-TNF compounds in the preconception period and during pregnancy. Accumulating experience with anti-TNF therapy in other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease, provides useful insights for the use of TNF blockade in pregnant women with RA, or RA patients wishing to become pregnant.
Affiliations

Citations

Hazes, J. M. W., Coulie, P., Geenen, V., Vermeire, S., Carbonnel, F., Louis, E., Masson, P., & De Keyser, F. (2011). Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy: evolution of disease activity and pathophysiological considerations for drug use. Rheumatology, 50(11), 1955-1968. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/ker302 (Original work published 2011)