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Cardiotocography only versus cardiotocography plus ST analysis of fetal electrocardiogram for intrapartum fetal monitoring: a Swedish randomised controlled trial

Amer-Wåhlin, Isis LU ; Hellsten, Charlotte LU ; Noren, Håkan ; Hagberg, Henrik ; Herbst, Andreas LU ; Kjellmer, Ingemar ; Lilja, Håkan ; Lindoff, Claes ; Mansson, Maivi and Martensson, Laila , et al. (2001) In The Lancet 358(9281). p.534-538
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that analysis of the ST waveform of the fetal electrocardiogram provides information on the fetal response to hypoxia. We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis results in an improved perinatal outcome compared with cardiotocography alone. METHODS: At three Swedish labour wards, 4966 women with term fetuses in the cephalic presentation entered the trial during labour after a clinical decision had been made to apply a fetal scalp electrode for internal cardiotocography. They were randomly assigned monitoring with cardiotocography plus ST analysis (CTG+ST group) or cardiotocography... (More)
BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that analysis of the ST waveform of the fetal electrocardiogram provides information on the fetal response to hypoxia. We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis results in an improved perinatal outcome compared with cardiotocography alone. METHODS: At three Swedish labour wards, 4966 women with term fetuses in the cephalic presentation entered the trial during labour after a clinical decision had been made to apply a fetal scalp electrode for internal cardiotocography. They were randomly assigned monitoring with cardiotocography plus ST analysis (CTG+ST group) or cardiotocography only (CTG group). The main outcome measure was rate of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis (pH <7.05 and base deficit >12 mmol/L). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery for fetal distress. Results were first analysed according to intention to treat, and secondly after exclusion of cases with severe malformations or with inadequate monitoring. FINDINGS: The CTG+ST group showed significantly lower rates of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis than the cardiotocography group (15 of 2159 [0.7%] vs 31 of 2079 [2%], relative risk 0.47 [95% CI 0.25-0.86], p=0.02) and of operative delivery for fetal distress (193 of 2519 [8%] vs 227 of 2447 [9%], 0.83 [0.69-0.99], p=0.047) when all cases were included according to intention to treat. The differences were more pronounced after exclusion of 291 in the CTG+ST group and 283 in the CTG group with malformations or inadequate recording. INTERPRETATION: Intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis increases the ability of obstetricians to identify fetal hypoxia and to intervene more appropriately, resulting in an improved perinatal outcome. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
The Lancet
volume
358
issue
9281
pages
534 - 538
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:11520523
  • scopus:0035908749
ISSN
1474-547X
DOI
10.1016/S0140-6736(01)05703-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Pediatrics/Urology/Gynecology/Endocrinology (013240400), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Lund) (013018000), Research Unit for Urogynaecology and Reproductive Pharmacology (013242710)
id
826e3ae7-d279-424f-ab65-2af937797ff5 (old id 1120614)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:35:15
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:28:15
@article{826e3ae7-d279-424f-ab65-2af937797ff5,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that analysis of the ST waveform of the fetal electrocardiogram provides information on the fetal response to hypoxia. We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis results in an improved perinatal outcome compared with cardiotocography alone. METHODS: At three Swedish labour wards, 4966 women with term fetuses in the cephalic presentation entered the trial during labour after a clinical decision had been made to apply a fetal scalp electrode for internal cardiotocography. They were randomly assigned monitoring with cardiotocography plus ST analysis (CTG+ST group) or cardiotocography only (CTG group). The main outcome measure was rate of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis (pH &lt;7.05 and base deficit &gt;12 mmol/L). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery for fetal distress. Results were first analysed according to intention to treat, and secondly after exclusion of cases with severe malformations or with inadequate monitoring. FINDINGS: The CTG+ST group showed significantly lower rates of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis than the cardiotocography group (15 of 2159 [0.7%] vs 31 of 2079 [2%], relative risk 0.47 [95% CI 0.25-0.86], p=0.02) and of operative delivery for fetal distress (193 of 2519 [8%] vs 227 of 2447 [9%], 0.83 [0.69-0.99], p=0.047) when all cases were included according to intention to treat. The differences were more pronounced after exclusion of 291 in the CTG+ST group and 283 in the CTG group with malformations or inadequate recording. INTERPRETATION: Intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis increases the ability of obstetricians to identify fetal hypoxia and to intervene more appropriately, resulting in an improved perinatal outcome.}},
  author       = {{Amer-Wåhlin, Isis and Hellsten, Charlotte and Noren, Håkan and Hagberg, Henrik and Herbst, Andreas and Kjellmer, Ingemar and Lilja, Håkan and Lindoff, Claes and Mansson, Maivi and Martensson, Laila and Olofsson, Per and Sundström, Anna-Karin and Marsal, Karel}},
  issn         = {{1474-547X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9281}},
  pages        = {{534--538}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{The Lancet}},
  title        = {{Cardiotocography only versus cardiotocography plus ST analysis of fetal electrocardiogram for intrapartum fetal monitoring: a Swedish randomised controlled trial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(01)05703-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0140-6736(01)05703-8}},
  volume       = {{358}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}