Does anti-HPA-1a affect birthweight in Fetal and Neonatal Alloimmune
Thrombocytopenia?
Abstract
Objective: This study tests the clinical hypothesis that FNAIT
secondary to anti-HPA-1a results in smaller newborns, and the corollary
hypothesis that antenatal management of FNAIT in HPA-1a-incompatible
pregnancies increases birthweight by reducing the effects of
anti-HPA-1a. Design: FNAIT-affected siblings, one untreated and
one treated for FNAIT, were paired for the purpose of comparing their
birthweights. Birthweights of FNAIT-affected and -unaffected pups in a
mouse model of HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were also analyzed.
Setting: New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center,
New York, NY; Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI.
Population: 270 FNAIT-affected newborns from a randomized
clinical trial; responders to a NAITbabies.org; and pups in a mouse
model of HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were evaluated. Methods:
Birthweight percentiles of untreated FNAIT-affected neonates were
compared to those of published controls and treated FNAIT-affected
siblings using one-sample, two-tailed t-tests. Body weights of
FNAIT-affected and -unaffected pups in a mouse model of
HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were analyzed similarly. Main Outcome
Measures: The difference in birthweight percentile between untreated
and treated FNAIT-affected siblings was analyzed. Results:
Untreated siblings were not small compared to normal controls. However,
treated siblings in both cohorts had significantly higher birthweight
percentiles compared to their untreated, affected sibling.
FNAIT-affected neonatal pups had lower body weights than
FNAIT-unaffected pups. Conclusions: The effect of treatment,
especially high dose IVIG believed to “block” FcRn and lower maternal
anti-HPA-1a levels, to increase birthweights suggests maternal
anti-HPA-1a reduces birthweights. We believe this is mediated by
anti-HPA-1a binding to placental syncytiotrophoblasts, resulting in
placental inflammation.