Extent of absent end-diastolic flow in umbilical artery and outcome of pregnancy
(2021) In Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology 58(3). p.369-376- Abstract
Objective: To investigate if the extent of absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) on umbilical artery (UA) Doppler velocimetry predicts pregnancy outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study based on data from 25 000 Doppler examinations of UA flow performed between 1998 and 2017 at the Blood Flow Laboratory, Level III Perinatal Center, Lund, Sweden. All pregnancies with AEDF in the UA were identified, and the duration of AEDF as a proportion of the total duration of the cardiac cycle (Ta/Ttot ratio) was measured in digital images of the Doppler spectrum recorded at the last examination showing AEDF before delivery. Clinical data on pregnancies and neonatal outcomes were extracted from the regional... (More)
Objective: To investigate if the extent of absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) on umbilical artery (UA) Doppler velocimetry predicts pregnancy outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study based on data from 25 000 Doppler examinations of UA flow performed between 1998 and 2017 at the Blood Flow Laboratory, Level III Perinatal Center, Lund, Sweden. All pregnancies with AEDF in the UA were identified, and the duration of AEDF as a proportion of the total duration of the cardiac cycle (Ta/Ttot ratio) was measured in digital images of the Doppler spectrum recorded at the last examination showing AEDF before delivery. Clinical data on pregnancies and neonatal outcomes were extracted from the regional perinatal database and the hospital patient records. The predictive performance of the Ta/Ttot ratio for intrauterine death and any (intrauterine or postnatal) death was assessed. Results: A total of 170 fetuses (122 (72%) singletons and 48 (28%) twins) were included in the study. Median gestational age at birth was 189.5 days (range, 163–279 days) (i.e. 27 + 0 weeks (range, 23 + 2 to 39 + 6 weeks)), birth weight was 650 g (range, 320–3326 g) and deviation from expected birth weight (standard deviation score) was –2.975 (range, –6.38 to 0.69). There were 15 (9%) intrauterine and 26 (15%) postnatal deaths. The principal outcome variables and their relationship with Doppler velocimetry results did not differ significantly between singletons and twins, giving a rationale for using the Ta/Ttot ratio in the total study group. Mean Ta/Ttot ratio was 0.42 ± 0.08 and 0.34 ± 0.08 in stillborn and liveborn fetuses, respectively (P = 0.002). For fetuses examined before 30 weeks' gestation, a Ta/Ttot ratio cut-off of 0.30 predicted intrauterine death with 92% sensitivity and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% (area under receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC), 0.74) and predicted any death with 83% sensitivity and a NPV of 85% (AUC, 0.66). Conclusions: In fetuses with AEDF in the UA, duration of absent flow for at least 30% of the total cardiac cycle length might predict the risk of fetal demise, even when assessed before 30 weeks' gestation. This finding is particularly relevant to growth-restricted fetuses. After evaluation in further studies, the extent of AEDF might facilitate obstetric decision-making in very preterm growth-restricted fetuses.
(Less)
- author
- Kinoshita, M. LU ; Thuring, A. LU ; Morsing, E. LU and Maršál, K. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- absent end-diastolic flow, Doppler ultrasound, fetal growth restriction, intrauterine death, perinatal outcome, umbilical artery
- in
- Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- volume
- 58
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:33206445
- scopus:85113928920
- ISSN
- 0960-7692
- DOI
- 10.1002/uog.23541
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b2aada9d-6e48-4d07-9abc-0f14d5238be6
- date added to LUP
- 2021-09-17 15:26:03
- date last changed
- 2024-09-08 00:30:42
@article{b2aada9d-6e48-4d07-9abc-0f14d5238be6, abstract = {{<p>Objective: To investigate if the extent of absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) on umbilical artery (UA) Doppler velocimetry predicts pregnancy outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study based on data from 25 000 Doppler examinations of UA flow performed between 1998 and 2017 at the Blood Flow Laboratory, Level III Perinatal Center, Lund, Sweden. All pregnancies with AEDF in the UA were identified, and the duration of AEDF as a proportion of the total duration of the cardiac cycle (T<sub>a</sub>/T<sub>tot</sub> ratio) was measured in digital images of the Doppler spectrum recorded at the last examination showing AEDF before delivery. Clinical data on pregnancies and neonatal outcomes were extracted from the regional perinatal database and the hospital patient records. The predictive performance of the T<sub>a</sub>/T<sub>tot</sub> ratio for intrauterine death and any (intrauterine or postnatal) death was assessed. Results: A total of 170 fetuses (122 (72%) singletons and 48 (28%) twins) were included in the study. Median gestational age at birth was 189.5 days (range, 163–279 days) (i.e. 27 + 0 weeks (range, 23 + 2 to 39 + 6 weeks)), birth weight was 650 g (range, 320–3326 g) and deviation from expected birth weight (standard deviation score) was –2.975 (range, –6.38 to 0.69). There were 15 (9%) intrauterine and 26 (15%) postnatal deaths. The principal outcome variables and their relationship with Doppler velocimetry results did not differ significantly between singletons and twins, giving a rationale for using the T<sub>a</sub>/T<sub>tot</sub> ratio in the total study group. Mean T<sub>a</sub>/T<sub>tot</sub> ratio was 0.42 ± 0.08 and 0.34 ± 0.08 in stillborn and liveborn fetuses, respectively (P = 0.002). For fetuses examined before 30 weeks' gestation, a T<sub>a</sub>/T<sub>tot</sub> ratio cut-off of 0.30 predicted intrauterine death with 92% sensitivity and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% (area under receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC), 0.74) and predicted any death with 83% sensitivity and a NPV of 85% (AUC, 0.66). Conclusions: In fetuses with AEDF in the UA, duration of absent flow for at least 30% of the total cardiac cycle length might predict the risk of fetal demise, even when assessed before 30 weeks' gestation. This finding is particularly relevant to growth-restricted fetuses. After evaluation in further studies, the extent of AEDF might facilitate obstetric decision-making in very preterm growth-restricted fetuses.</p>}}, author = {{Kinoshita, M. and Thuring, A. and Morsing, E. and Maršál, K.}}, issn = {{0960-7692}}, keywords = {{absent end-diastolic flow; Doppler ultrasound; fetal growth restriction; intrauterine death; perinatal outcome; umbilical artery}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{369--376}}, publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}}, series = {{Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology}}, title = {{Extent of absent end-diastolic flow in umbilical artery and outcome of pregnancy}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/uog.23541}}, doi = {{10.1002/uog.23541}}, volume = {{58}}, year = {{2021}}, }