1.
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: recommendations for evidence-based practice, an international approach
Lieberman L, Greinacher A, Murphy MF, Bussel J, Bakchoul T, Corke S, Kjaer M, Kjeldsen-Kragh J, Bertrand G, Oepkes D, et al
British journal of haematology. 2019
Abstract
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) may result in severe bleeding, particularly fetal and neonatal intracranial haemorrhage (ICH). As a result, FNAIT requires prompt identification and treatment; subsequent pregnancies need close surveillance and management. An international panel convened to develop evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management of FNAIT. A rigorous approach was used to search, review and develop recommendations from published data for: antenatal management, postnatal management, diagnostic testing and universal screening. To confirm FNAIT, fetal human platelet antigen (HPA) typing, using non-invasive methods if quality-assured, should be performed during pregnancy when the father is unknown, unavailable for testing or heterozygous for the implicated antigen. Women with a previous child with an ICH related to FNAIT should be offered intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions during subsequent affected pregnancies as early as 12 weeks gestation. Ideally, HPA-selected platelets should be available at delivery for potentially affected infants and used to increase the neonatal platelet count as needed. If HPA-selected platelets are not immediately available, unselected platelets should be transfused. FNAIT studies that optimize antenatal and postnatal management, develop risk stratification algorithms to guide management and standardize laboratory testing to identify high risk pregnancies are needed.
2.
Antenatal management in fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: a systematic review
Winkelhorst D, Murphy MF, Greinacher A, Shehata N, Bakchoul T, Massey E, Baker J, Lieberman L, Tanael S, Hume H, et al
Blood. 2017;129((11):):1538-1547
Abstract
Several strategies can be used to manage fetal or neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) in subsequent pregnancies. Serial fetal blood sampling (FBS) and intrauterine platelet transfusions (IUPT), and weekly maternal intravenous immunoglobulin infusion (IVIG), with or without additional corticosteroid therapy are common options, but the optimal management has not been determined. The aim of this systematic review was to assess antenatal treatment strategies for FNAIT. Four randomized controlled trials and twenty-two non-randomized studies were included. Pooling of results was not possible due to considerable heterogeneity. Most studies found comparable outcomes regarding the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage, regardless of antenatal management strategy applied; FBS, IUPT or IVIG with/without corticosteroids. There is no consistent evidence for the value of adding steroids to IVIG. Fetal blood sampling or intrauterine platelet transfusion resulted in a relatively high complication rate, consisting mainly of preterm emergency cesarean section, 11% per treated pregnancy in all studies combined. Overall, non-invasive management in pregnant mothers who have had a previous neonate with FNAIT is effective without the relatively high rate of adverse outcomes seen with invasive strategies. This systematic review suggests that first line antenatal management in FNAIT is weekly IVIG administration, with or without the addition of corticosteroids.