Karen Schreiber
Karen Schreiber says: “Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disease that most often affects women of childbearing age. Women with APS experience pregnancy complications, such as recurrent first-trimester pregnancy loss, intrauterine death, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. Although current treatment regimens including aspirin and heparin have improved pregnancy outcomes, 30% of these women continue to have pregnancy complications. Clinical study has suggest that the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in addition to standard of care treatment improves the pregnancy outcome in these women. We have therefore designed the first randomized controlled multicentre clinical trial of HCQ in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies. Our aim is to find out if the addition of HCQ to standard of care treatment will improve pregnancy outcomes in these women. Moreover, we will try to explain the underlying disease mechanism.”
Karen Schreiber has spent almost 10 years in the UK researching rheumatic disease and APS at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital in London but recently relocated to Denmark to enter the Danish specialist training in Rheumatology. She further states: “I am extremely humble and grateful for the support. The Clinical Emerging Investigator grant will allow me to establish myself as independent researcher with my own research group and anchor my international network and the HYPATIA study at the newly established ‘Center for Viden om Gigt’ (CeViG) at the Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in collaboration with all major Danish University Hospitals. The grant will allow me to work in close collaboration with international experts in the field.”