Fetal myocardial deformation measured with two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography: longitudinal prospective cohort study of 124 healthy fetuses.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is a promising technique which allows assessment of fetal cardiac function, and can be used in the evaluation of cardiac and non-cardiac diseases in pregnancy. However, reliable fetal reference values for deformation parameters measured using 2D-STE are needed before it can be introduced into clinical practice. This study aimed to obtain reference values for fetal global longitudinal strain (GLS) and GLS rate (GLSR) measured using 2D-STE and compare right and left ventricular values.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study of uncomplicated pregnancies that underwent echocardiography every 4 weeks from inclusion at 18-21 weeks until delivery to obtain four-chamber loops of the fetal heart.

SUBMITTER: van Oostrum NHM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9321172 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature