Venous return and right ventricular diastolic function in ARED flow fetuses

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1998

Authors

Areias JC (Author) FMUP; matias, a (Author) Other; Montenegro N (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Perinatal Medicine

Vol. 26

Pages: 157-167

ISSN: 0300-5577

Publisher: Walter De Gruyter

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 16 Citations

Scopus - 17 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-9CP

Abstract (EN): The absence or reversal of end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery (UA) is widely accepted as an ominous sign of fetal compromise. However, in these high-risk pregnancies, the significance of sequentially appearing changes of the venous return is poorly established. Doppler blood flow waveforms were longitudinally assessed in the inferior vena cava (IVC), ductus venosus (DV), umbilical vein (UV) and tricuspid valve, along with the UA, middle cerebral artery and descending aorta. Thirty-two serial Doppler studies were performed in six fetuses with intrauterine growth-retardation (IUGR). In the cases of absent or reversed UA endodiastolic now, changes in the venous return were found following the same sequence: presence of dicrote pulsations in the UT! increase of retrograde flow in the IVC and reduction or inversion of DV velocity during atrial contraction. Trans-tricuspid flow patterns changed from normal to a restrictive pattern of ventricular filling. There were two intrauterine deaths and one early neonatal death. Our preliminary results suggest that the evaluation of the venous compartment of hemodynamically disturbed preterms fetuses along with right ventricular filling appears to be a useful model for investigating the physiopathology of fetal deterioration and, therefore, may yield indirect discriminatory signs of severe compromise.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11