The long-term development outcomes of the offspring born to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study

This study aims to explore the long-term physical, neurological, social and emotional development outcomes of the offspring born to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to provide insights that can assist pediatricians in enhancing the long-term prognosis of these children. We conducted a cross-sectional study on the offspring of SLE patients who had undergone pregnancy and were admitted to our obstetrics department between January 1, 2016 and September 30, 2021. The control group consisted of offspring born to mothers without connective tissue disease, and was matched 1:1 based on age (birth date ± 1 month) with the offspring of SLE patients. Physical development, including measurements of weight and height (length), was assessed. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) was utilized to evaluate development in five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE) was used to assess social-emotional development. Weight, height (length), BMI (body mass index), and ASQ-3 domain scores at different ages and for both genders were standardized into Z-scores for comparison. In the SLE group, the offspring demonstrated higher BMI Z-scores, higher rates of obesity, and increased probabilities of abnormal social-emotional development screening. In addition, their problem solving domain Z-scores were lower as compared to the control group. All of these differences were statistically significant. It is recommended that SLE patients should pay close attention to sensible feeding practices after the birth of their offspring to prevent the occurrence of obesity. Furthermore, there should be an emphasis on strengthening monitoring and intervention efforts to enhance the problem solving abilities and social-emotional development of the offspring. By implementing these measures, the overall long-term developmental outcomes of children born to SLE patients can be improved.