Poster presenter: Joo Young (Esther) Lee, BSc, McGill University
Poster title: Increasing Preeclampsia Knowledge in SLE with a Specific Educational Tool: Preliminary Results
Poster Session D
8:30 – 10:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 9
All ACR Convergence 2021 poster presentations are available on demand to registered meeting participants through March 11, 2022.
What is your poster about?
In this poster, we report preliminary results of our ongoing PREPARE (PREeclamPsia knowledge & Aspirin adheRence in lupus prEgnancies) trial, a randomized controlled trial. This trial assesses the effect of a specifically designed educational tool on preeclampsia knowledge and aspirin use/adherence among pregnant women with SLE who are at substantially elevated risk of preeclampsia. So far, we have observed a trend of increasing preeclampsia knowledge among women who received the educational tool. We reported preliminary results of aspirin use/adherence in another poster at ACR Convergence 2021.
Why did you decide to investigate this topic?
Preeclampsia is a devastating placental disease to both the mother and the offspring. SLE pregnancies are at high risk of this disease (2.5 times the general population’s risk). For prevention, many international clinical guidelines recommend aspirin prophylaxis for high-risk populations. However, a recent study found that only a minority of pregnant SLE women were using aspirin. Furthermore, many previous studies have indicated that pregnant women generally have limited knowledge of preeclampsia, which prevents them from seeking timely medical care should symptoms arise. Therefore, we realized that more effective patient education and counseling are necessary to improve this vulnerable population’s pregnancy outcomes. We devised the SLE-specific educational tool by modifying a previously validated preeclampsia educational tool developed by Whitney B. You, MD, MPH, and her team at Northwestern University and the Preeclampsia Foundation. Our trial assessing the tool’s effect is currently halfway complete, and the preliminary results suggest that it is very well poised in providing a new, evidence-based method of patient education.
What are you working on next related to this research?
We are developing an international, prospective cohort study of unselected SLE pregnancies, the Lupus in prEGnAnCY (LEGACY) cohort, to provide early risk-stratification and personalized management, notably by performing therapeutic drug monitoring, in SLE pregnancies. Our research efforts aim, ultimately, to improve the health outcomes of SLE women and their offspring.
What excites you most about your work?
We are hopeful that our project will yield an evidence-based method of effectively delivering important education in a simple and memorable way to this vulnerable population. It is exciting to think that this tool may help save numerous patients and their families from short- and long-term physical and emotional suffering.