Fetal cardiac functional changes in pregnancies with Behcet's disease: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Behcet's disease usually progresses with remission during pregnancy, but early subtle changes might be detected in the heart of these fetuses due to inflammation. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the cardiac functions in fetuses of pregnant women with Behcet's disease (BD). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. SUBJECTS: This prospective study enrolled pregnant women diagnosed with Behcet's disease before pregnancy. Twenty-four pregnancies with Behcet's disease and 48 healthy pregnancies were included at 32-34 gestational weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pulsed-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were used to assess cardiac functions. RESULTS: Right ventricle (RV) E (early) wave and left ventricle (LV) E were significantly increased in pregnancies with BD (p = .008, p = .041, respectively). Decreased right ventricle E' (peak systolic velocity) was detected with TDI in the case group (6.2 ± 0.5, p < .001). E/E' ratios for RV and LV were significantly increased in the case group (p < .001, p = .001, respectively). The correlation between the duration of the disease and fetal cardiac functions was also evaluated. For RV, E (r = 0.735, p < .001), E' (r = -0.735, p < .001), E/E' (r = 0.894, p < .001), were strongly correlated with the disease duration. The study also showed the correlation between disease duration and LV E' (r = -0.735, p = .005), LV E (r = 0.750, p < .001), and LV E/E' (r = 0.820, p < .001). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to evaluate the fetal cardiac functions in fetuses of pregnancies with BD. Although BD usually progresses with remission during pregnancy, early subclinical diastolic changes might occur in the heart of these fetuses due to inflammation.

The influence of maternal inflammatory bowel diseases on fetal cardiac functions: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The altered maternal inflammatory milieu and changes in maternal vascular structure (arterial stiffness) and function may affect the fetal heart in pregnant women diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIMS: To investigate fetal cardiac functions in IBD pregnancies and to reveal the relationship between IBD duration and fetal cardiac functions. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. SUBJECTS: The case group included 19 pregnant women with ulcerative colitis and seven with Crohn's disease who were in remission at the time of the study. The control group consisted of 52 healthy pregnant women matched for gestational age in the third trimester of pregnancy (at 32 to 33 weeks). OUTCOME MEASURES: Fetal cardiac functions. The assessment was blinded as to whether the patients were cases or controls. RESULTS: The right ventricular E', E'/A', S', and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were significantly lower, and E/E', myocardial performance index (MPI'), and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT') were significantly higher in fetuses of IBD pregnancies. Diastolic functions (E/E', E', E'/A', and IVRT'), systolic functions (S' and TAPSE), and global function (MPI') were changed in the case group. A significantly strong correlation was between maternal disease duration and fetal right ventricle diastolic function parameters (E/E', E, E', E'/A') in the case group (r2 = 0.780; p ≤0.001, r2 = 0.570; p ≤0.001, r2 = 0.604; p ≤0.001, r2 = 0.638; p ≤0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Diastolic and systolic fetal cardiac functions changed in IBD pregnancies. As the disease duration increases, especially fetal cardiac diastolic functions may be affected.

Is maternal serum endocan level a novel marker in gestational diabetes mellitus?

AIM: To determine whether there was a significant difference between serum endocan levels of pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: A total of 90 pregnant women, 45 with gestational diabetes and 45 healthy pregnant women, between 24 and 28 gestational weeks, were included in this prospective case-control study. The pregnant women were screened for gestational diabetes using a two-step protocol. Serum endocan levels were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Serum endocan level was significantly higher in the GDM group than in healthy controls (168.46 ± 160.6 vs. 105.66 ± 26.52 pg/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). Serum endocan concentrations were positively correlated with the results of 50 g oral glucose challenge test (GCT) (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that endocan with a cut-off point of 133.9 ng/dL indicated women with GDM with a sensitivity of 55.6% and specificity of 88.9% (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.737, 95% CI: 0.634-0.824). The overall differential performance of endocan according to the GDM groups was determined as 73.7% (p < 0.001). Maternal serum endocan level was positively correlated with fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated endocan levels in gestational diabetes were correlated with fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, HbA1c, and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results. Despite the low sensitivity of 55.6% and the high specificity of 88.9%, we found a high differential performance rate indicating that serum endocan levels were important for the pathophysiology of GDM and should be investigated for the possibility of being a novel marker in larger populations.

Placental Pathology and Its Importance in Preterm Infants.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated what placental pathologies were associated with adverse preterm births. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Placental findings, classified according to the Amsterdam criteria, were correlated with infant outcomes. The fetal vascular lesions, inflammatory responses other than histological chorioamnionitis (HCA), and placentas with combined maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) and HCA were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 772 placentas were evaluated. MVM was present in 394 placentas, HCA in 378. Early neonatal sepsis, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, and neonatal death occurred more often in the MVM-only group than HCA-only group. The frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) was 38.6% in the HCA-only group, and it was 20.3% in the MVM-only group (p < 0.001). HCA was the most important independent risk factor for BPD (OR 3.877, 95% CI 2.831-5.312). CONCLUSION: Inflammation in the placenta influences fetal and neonatal outcomes. HCA is an independent risk factor for BPD.

Assessment of fetal cardiac functions in pregnant women with asthma.

AIM: This study aims to investigate the effects of maternal asthma on fetal cardiac functions. METHODS: The study was planned with 30 pregnant women who presented to a tertiary health center and were diagnosed with asthma and 60 healthy controls with similar gestational ages. The fetal echocardiographic assessment was assessed between 33 and 35 weeks of gestation with pulsed-wave Doppler (PW), M-mode, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Fetal cardiac functions were compared between maternal asthma and the control group. Cardiac functions were assessed according to the duration of maternal asthma diagnosis, as well. RESULTS: Early diastolic function parameters, tricuspid E wave (p = .001), and tricuspid E/A ratio (p = .005) were significantly lower in the group with maternal asthma. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and measurements of mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) values were statistically lower in the study group than in the control group; p = .010 and p = .012, respectively. Parameters assessed with TDI (E', A', S', E/E', and MPI' of tricuspid valves) and global cardiac function parameters assessed with PW like myocardial performance index (MPI) and left cardiac output (LCO) were similar between groups (p > .05). Although, MPI did not change between groups, and the isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) value was prolonged in maternal asthma cases (p = .025). CONCLUSION: We found that maternal asthma disease causes alteration in fetal diastolic and early systolic cardiac functions, but the global fetal cardiac function does not change. Diastolic heart function values also varied with the duration of maternal asthma. Prospective studies are needed to compare fetal cardiac functions with additional patient groups according to disease severity and type of medical treatment.

The utility of complete blood parameter indices to predict stillbirths.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between unexplained stillbirth (SB) cases and the complete blood parameter indices and we compared them with uncomplicated healthy cases. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with unexplained SB cases in a tertiary center between 2019-2022 were included in this retrospective case-control study. The gestational age threshold for SBs was accepted as births after the 20th week of pregnancy. Consecutive patients with no adverse obstetric outcomes were accepted as the control group. Patients' complete blood parameter results at the time of the first admission to the hospital until 14 weeks were labeled as "1'' and at the time of delivery were labeled as "2'' and recorded. As inflammatory parameters, neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio, derivated neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and hemoglobin-lymphocyte ratio (HLR) were calculated from complete blood results and recorded. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the groups' LMR1 (p = .040). Additionally, whereas HLR1 of the study group was 0.693 (0.38-2.72), it was 0.645 (0.15-1.82) in the control group (p = .026). However, the HLR2 of the study group was significantly lower than the control group (p = .021). CONCLUSION: Necessary precautions such as fetal biophysical profile examination can be taken more frequently in the antenatal follow-up in patients considered to be at high risk of SB by using HLR. It is a novel marker that can be easily accessible and calculated from the complete blood parameters.

Fetal neurosonography in pregnant women recovering from COVID-19 disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of severe acute respiratory virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on fetal neurodevelopment in pregnant women. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 54 pregnant women at least 4 weeks after the SARS-CoV-2 infection and 58 controls. In the third trimester, the depths of the fetal insula, Sylvian, parieto-occipital, and calcarine fissures, the length of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), and the thickness of the corpus callosum (CC) were measured. Sylvian fissure operculization and cortical development were graded. The correlation analysis between fetal cortical development and Sylvian fissure operculization was performed with the Pearson test. RESULTS: The calcarine fissure depth and CC thickness were reduced in the study group (P < 0.001, P = 0.004). The fetal CSP length and ratio were increased in the study group (P = 0.016, P = 0.039). Approximately half of the study group fetuses had grade 4 or less Sylvian fissure operculization. The study group had a significantly higher rate of fetuses with grade 2 (31.5% vs. 13.8%) and significantly lower rate of fetuses with grade 4 cortical development (14.8% vs. 31.0%), compared with the controls. There was a moderate negative significant correlation between pregnant women recovering from COVID-19 and fetal cortical development and Sylvian fissure operculization (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to investigate fetal cortical development in pregnant women recovering from COVID-19. The results indicate that COVID-19 disease may affect fetal neurodevelopment.

Assessment of fetal cardiac morphology and functional changes in early-onset and late-onset fetal growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the fetal cardiac morphology and functions of early-onset fetal growth restriction (EO-FGR) and late-onset fetal growth restriction (LO-FGR) groups with gestational weeks-matched controls. METHODS: A total of 164 pregnant women were included, 28 of whom were in the EO-FGR group, 54 in the LO-FGR group, and 82 in the control group. Fetal echocardiographic evaluation was performed with two-dimensional, M-mode, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and pulsed wave Doppler. RESULTS: Fetal cardiac morphologic measurements and diastolic and systolic functions changed in EO-FGR and LO-FGR fetuses compared with controls. The EO- and LO-FGR fetuses had reduced right and left cardiac output, increased myocardial performance index, and significantly higher mitral and tricuspid E/E' ratios compared with controls. The EO-FGR fetuses had lower mitral and tricuspid E and E' values. In LO-FGR fetuses, mitral and tricuspid E' values were lower than in their controls (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001). On the other hand, the mitral and tricuspid E values were not significantly changed (P = 0.107 and P = 0.196). CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that EO-FGR and LO-FGR fetuses had insufficient myocardial maturation. Especially in the LO-FGR fetuses, TDI is the earliest and most sensitive technique to show subtle changes in fetal cardiac functions.

The utility of systemic immune-inflammation index and systemic immune-response index in the prediction of adverse outcomes in pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019: Analysis of 2649 cases.

AIM: To investigate the association of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic immune-response index (SIRI) with adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The cases were divided into (1) the Mild-moderate COVID-19 group (n = 2437) and (2) the Severe-critical COVID-19 group (n = 212). Clinical characteristics, perinatal outcomes, SII (neutrophilXplatelet/lymphocyte), and SIRI (neutrophilXmonocyte/lymphocyte) were compared between the groups. Afterward, SII and SIRI values were compared between subgroups based on pregnancy complications, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and maternal mortality. A receiver operator characteristic analysis was performed for the determination of optimal cutoff values for SII and SIRI in the prediction of COVID-19 severity, pregnancy complications, NICU admission, and maternal mortality. RESULTS: Both SII and SIRI were significantly higher in complicated cases (p < 0.05). Cutoff values in the prediction of severe-critical COVID-19 were 1309.8 for SII, and 2.3 for SIRI. For pregnancy complications, optimal cutoff values were 973.2 and 1.6. Cutoff values of 1045.4 and 1.8 were calculated for the prediction of NICU admission. Finally, cut-off values of 1224.2 and 2.4 were found in the prediction of maternal mortality. CONCLUSION: SII and SIRI might be used in combination with other clinical findings in the prediction of poor perinatal outcomes.

Evaluation of Serum Selenium Level, Quality of Sleep, and Life in Pregnant Women With Restless Legs Syndrome.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a multifactorial disease that patients describe as restlessness in their legs, which creates a desire to move their legs, especially in the evening and at rest. This study aims to investigate serum selenium levels in RLS and document the quality of sleep and life in pregnant women with RLS according to International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) diagnostic criteria. Thirty-eight moderate to severe RLS patients with pregnancy at 38-41 weeks of gestation were determined as the case group, and 38 women with healthy gestational age-matched pregnancies were determined as the control group. Maternal serum selenium levels were compared between the RLS case group and the group of healthy pregnant women at the time of hospitalization for delivery. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and The Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) were applied to the patients. The mean selenium level (µg/L) was statistically significantly lower in the RLS group (53.24 ± 10.28), compared to the healthy pregnant population (58.95 ± 11.29) (P = 0.024). The PSQI score was significantly higher in the RLS case group (P = 0.033). Especially sleep efficiency (P = 0.018) and daytime dysfunction (P = 0.032) sub-parameters were affected. The SF-36 questionnaire was examined and a significant difference was detected between the two groups in role emotional (P = 0.026), social functioning (P = 0.023), and body pain (P = 0.044) sub-parameters. Serum selenium level was significantly lower, the sleep quality of the RLS group was impaired and their quality of life was affected in pregnant women with RLS. Further studies are needed to determine whether selenium replacement in pregnant women with RLS is feasible or not.

The relationship between the first trimester maternal serum PAPP-A and ß-hCG values and newborn intensive care needs in low-risk pregnancies.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to look at the connection between newborn intensive care requirements in low-risk pregnancies and maternal blood pregnancy-associated plasma protein (PAPP-A) and free human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels, which are elements of screening tests within the first trimester. Materials and Methods: In the delivery unit of our hospital, pregnant women between the years of 18 and 35 had singleton pregnancies who delivered between 37 and 41 weeks of pregnancy between July 2021 and January 2022 were split into 2 groups. One hundred eighty two pregnant women with infants who required neonatal intensive care (NICU) were enrolled in the first group, whereas 890 pregnant women with infants who did not require NICU were enrolled in the second. These two groups' maternal blood PAPP-A and free hCG levels, which are among the first trimester screening procedures, were examined. Additionally, subgroup analysis were performed in terms of cesarean section indications and NICU admission indications. Logistic regression analysis and ROC analysis were performed with related variables for estimating NICU need. Results: The mean serum PAPP-A value was found to be 0.91±0.34 multiples of the median (MoM) in the blood taken from the infant mothers who needed NICU, while the mean serum PAPP-A value in the blood taken from infant mothers who did not need NICU was 1.12±0.59 MoM (p<0.000). The PAPP-A MoM mean of the group with Apgar 5th minute score ≥8 (1.09±0.57) was higher than the PAPP-A mean (0.84±0.27) of the Apgar 5th minute score <7 group (p=0.013). According to the results of our study, in groups with a PAPP-A value below 0.95, the possibility of increased NICU need of newborns is higher. Conclusion: The low serum PAPP-A level, which is used as a screening test among pregnant women, demonstrates that it is successful in predicting perinatal outcomes in the low-risk pregnancy group.