Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers

The advent of Doppler echocardiography has permitted noninvasive examination of the fetal heart. In this study, computer-assisted cardiac Doppler flow velocity waveform (DFVW) analysis was used to determine whether diastolic dysfunction is manifest in the fetuses of diabetic mothers. Diastolic atrio...

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Main Author: Gilles Plourde
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: McGill University 1996-06-01
Series:McGill Journal of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://mjm.mcgill.ca/article/view/348
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author Gilles Plourde
author_facet Gilles Plourde
author_sort Gilles Plourde
collection DOAJ
description The advent of Doppler echocardiography has permitted noninvasive examination of the fetal heart. In this study, computer-assisted cardiac Doppler flow velocity waveform (DFVW) analysis was used to determine whether diastolic dysfunction is manifest in the fetuses of diabetic mothers. Diastolic atrioventricular (AV) valve flow was measured in the fetuses of 40 women with well-controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) at 18 to 22 weeks (timepoint A) and 30 to 35 weeks (timepoint B) gestation. These subjects were compared to 40 age-matched pregnant non-diabetic controls, and their maternal glycosylated hemoglobin HbA1c fractions (%) were measured to gauge the adequacy of glycemic control. HbA1c fractions showed no statistically significant difference between timepoints A and B (4.85 ± 0.2% and 5.16 ± 0.3%, respectively), and demonstrated a well-controlled diabetic state. At timepoint A, the peak velocity of rapid ventricular filling [E (cm/s)] through both AV valves, the peak velocity of atrial contraction [A (cm/s)] through the tricuspid valve, and the flow integral measurement for atrial contraction [AI (cm)] through the tricuspid valve were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those measured in the controls. Peak velocities of atrial contraction and rapid ventricular filling (A and E, respectively) for both valves, as well as the flow integral of rapid ventricular filling (EI) for the tricuspid valve, were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in fetuses of diabetic mothers at timepoint B than in controls. Overall, despite the fact that both IDDM and non-diabetic mothers showed significant (p < 0.05) fetal increases in rapid ventricular filling (E) between the two timepoints, the ratios E/A and EI/AI for both valves were not modified in the two study groups at either gestational age. These results therefore substantiate rare previous findings that only peak velocity of rapid ventricular filling (E) is increased, despite expected changes in E/A and EI/AI ratios, with gestational age. Furthermore, the results of the present study suggest that fetal diastolic function is not adversely affected in well-controlled maternal IDDM.
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spelling doaj.art-84c3a78713844ed2b94b7fa096110ef72022-12-21T22:32:35ZengMcGill UniversityMcGill Journal of Medicine1715-81251996-06-012110.26443/mjm.v2i1.348563Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic MothersGilles PlourdeThe advent of Doppler echocardiography has permitted noninvasive examination of the fetal heart. In this study, computer-assisted cardiac Doppler flow velocity waveform (DFVW) analysis was used to determine whether diastolic dysfunction is manifest in the fetuses of diabetic mothers. Diastolic atrioventricular (AV) valve flow was measured in the fetuses of 40 women with well-controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) at 18 to 22 weeks (timepoint A) and 30 to 35 weeks (timepoint B) gestation. These subjects were compared to 40 age-matched pregnant non-diabetic controls, and their maternal glycosylated hemoglobin HbA1c fractions (%) were measured to gauge the adequacy of glycemic control. HbA1c fractions showed no statistically significant difference between timepoints A and B (4.85 ± 0.2% and 5.16 ± 0.3%, respectively), and demonstrated a well-controlled diabetic state. At timepoint A, the peak velocity of rapid ventricular filling [E (cm/s)] through both AV valves, the peak velocity of atrial contraction [A (cm/s)] through the tricuspid valve, and the flow integral measurement for atrial contraction [AI (cm)] through the tricuspid valve were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those measured in the controls. Peak velocities of atrial contraction and rapid ventricular filling (A and E, respectively) for both valves, as well as the flow integral of rapid ventricular filling (EI) for the tricuspid valve, were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in fetuses of diabetic mothers at timepoint B than in controls. Overall, despite the fact that both IDDM and non-diabetic mothers showed significant (p < 0.05) fetal increases in rapid ventricular filling (E) between the two timepoints, the ratios E/A and EI/AI for both valves were not modified in the two study groups at either gestational age. These results therefore substantiate rare previous findings that only peak velocity of rapid ventricular filling (E) is increased, despite expected changes in E/A and EI/AI ratios, with gestational age. Furthermore, the results of the present study suggest that fetal diastolic function is not adversely affected in well-controlled maternal IDDM.https://mjm.mcgill.ca/article/view/348dopplerdiabetesfetalcardiac
spellingShingle Gilles Plourde
Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
McGill Journal of Medicine
doppler
diabetes
fetal
cardiac
title Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
title_full Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
title_fullStr Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
title_full_unstemmed Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
title_short Cardiac Doppler Flow Velocities in Fetuses of Well- Controlled Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
title_sort cardiac doppler flow velocities in fetuses of well controlled insulin dependent diabetic mothers
topic doppler
diabetes
fetal
cardiac
url https://mjm.mcgill.ca/article/view/348
work_keys_str_mv AT gillesplourde cardiacdopplerflowvelocitiesinfetusesofwellcontrolledinsulindependentdiabeticmothers