Cord Blood Biomarkers of Cardiac Dysfunction and Damage in Term Growth-Restricted Fetuses Classified by Severity Criteria.

Perez-Cruz, Míriam; Crispi, Fàtima; Fernández, María Teresa; Parra, Johanna Alexandra; Valls, Anna; Gomez Roig, María Dolores; Gratacós, Eduard; Fernández, María Teresa; Parra, Johanna Alexandra; Gomez Roig, María Dolores

Objective: To assess cardiovascular function and damage in term small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses by echocardiography and biomarkers in cord blood.Methods: This was a cohort study including 60 normal fetuses and 47 term small fetuses subclassified as small for gestational age (SGA) with estimated fetal weight (EFW) between the 3rd and 9th centiles and normal fetoplacental Doppler (n = 14) or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR, n = 33) if EFW 95th centile. Fetal echocardiography included left myocardial performance index (MPI) and annular plane systolic excursion. Fetal B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin-I, heart-type fatty acid-binding proteins (H-FABP), and homocysteine concentrations were measured in cord blood collected at delivery.Results: Both SGA and IUGR cases presented echocardiographic signs of systolic and diastolic dysfunction with increased MPI (mean controls 0.43 [SD 0.12], SGA 0.47 [0.03], and IUGR 0.57 [0.08], p Conclusions: Cardiac dysfunction and cell damage is a common feature of term SGA and IUGR fetuses despite of the severity criteria for perinatal outcome. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential long-term consequences on their cardiovascular system.

PREGNANCY complications; FETAL growth retardation; FETAL development; PERINATAL death; TROPONIN I; CARDIOVASCULAR disease diagnosis; CARDIOVASCULAR diseases; ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY; CORD blood; PEPTIDE hormones; TROPONIN; DISEASE complications

Fetal Diagnosis & Therapy, 2018, Vol 44, Issue 4, p271

1015-3837

Academic Journal

10.1159/000484315