%0 Case Reports
%T Erythropoietin therapy in a case of neonatal anemia after exposure to natalizumab throughout pregnancy.
%A Godano E
%A Barra F
%A Allodi A
%A Ferraiolo A
%A Laroni A
%A Novi G
%A Mancardi GL
%A Gustavino C
%A Arioni C
%J Ital J Pediatr
%V 47
%N 1
%D Mar 2021 23
%M 33757559
%F 3.288
%R 10.1186/s13052-021-01025-4
%X BACKGROUND: Natalizumab is a monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. According to the current clinical recommendations, its use during pregnancy should be carefully evaluated only in women with highly active disease who plan a pregnancy or have an unplanned pregnancy, after accurate counseling about eventual maternal disease relapse due to therapy suspension.
METHODS: This brief case report describes a case of documented anemia that we observed in a newborn whose mother with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was treated with an extended dosing protocol of natalizumab throughout pregnancy. The newborn received the infusion of erythropoietin every seven days from the fortieth day of life; subsequently, the status of anemia underwent clinical resolution.
CONCLUSIONS: This case report confirmed that natalizumab can cause disorders of hematopoiesis, including anemia, thrombocytopenia, or pancytopenia, in newborns of patients treated during pregnancy. A multidisciplinary team, including experienced pediatricians and pediatric hematologists, has a critical role in managing newborns delivered by women, being treated with natalizumab for treating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis during pregnancy.