Prognostic indexes derived from ventricular morphology in congenital diaphragmatic hernia induced by nitrofen [Indices de prognóstico derivados da morfologia ventricular na hérnia diafragmática congénita induzida pelo nitrofeno.]

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2001

Authors

Correia Pinto, J (Author) Other; Baptista, MJ (Author) Other; Carvalho, JL (Author) Other; Estevão-Costa J (Author) FMUP; Areias JC (Author) FMUP; Leite-Moreira AF (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia

Vol. 20 No. 10

Pages: 423-427

ISSN: 0870-2551

Publisher: Sociedade Portuguesa De Cardiologia

Indexing

Scopus - 1 Citation

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-PV8

Abstract (EN): BACKGROUND: Some indices derived from cardiac morphology have been proposed as prognostic factors in fetuses and newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). These would be of interest in evaluating the risk of pulmonary hypoplasia and the need for surgery in the fetus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the heart-related indices in the nitrofen-induced CDH rat model. METHODS: At day 9 1/2 of gestation dated pregnant female Wistar rats received 100 mg of nitrofen. Fetuses were harvested at day 21 1/2 by laparotomy. The fetuses exposed to nitrofen without CDH were defined as the control group (n = 38) while the fetuses exposed to nitrofen with CDH were defined as the CDH group (n = 30). The hearts from both groups were weighed, processed for paraffin embedding and fragmented in serial 7 microns thick transverse sections. In the hearts without cardiac morphological defects the right and the left ventricular cavity volumes were estimated. These allowed calculation of cardioventricular and left-ventricular mass indices. RESULTS: In the fetuses without cardiac malformations, no significant difference was found regarding heart-to-body weight ratio, cardioventricular index or left ventricular mass between the study groups. CONCLUSION: In this model the presence of CDH was not associated with any alteration in cardiac dimension, in the absence of structural malformations. These results suggest that the indices derived from ventricular morphology should not be used to evaluate the prognosis in fetuses and newborns with CDH.

Language: Portuguese

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific