Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Antinuclear antibody is the most sensitive screening test currently available for confirming the diagnosis of systemic lupus when accompanied by typical clinical finding, when three or more typical clinical features are present, such as skin, joint, kidney, pleural, pericardial, hematological, or central nervous system findings. Anti DNA antibody test is the most specific test for SLE, raised titres of antibodies to DNA and low complement usually indicate active disease or lupus flare. Despite improvement in overall survival rates, patients with SLE still have a death rate that is 3 times that of the general population. SLE affects pregnancy and its outcome by three main ways. First; SLE increases the risks of late pregnancy losses due to hypertension and renal failure. Secondly it is an important cause of heart block and other cardiac defects in the newborn. This effect may be part of a more general neonatal lupus syndrome. Thirdly, SLE increases the risk of fetal loss independently of hypertension or renal failure. This is usually in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies

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