Fetal umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index as a predictor of cardiovascular risk factors in children – a long-term follow up study. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mone, F.; Thompson, A.; Stewart, M. C.; Ong, S.; Shields, M. D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine. Volume 27:Number 16(2014)
• Page Start: 1633
• Page End: 1636
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Perinatology -- Periodicals; Infants (Newborn) -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neonatology -- Periodicals; 618.2
• DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2013.871698
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-7058

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: To determine if high umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) pulsatility index (PI) is associated with cardio-vascular (CV) risk-factors in children at age 12 years.</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: We studied 195 children at age 12 years who had had <italic>in-utero</italic> UAD studies performed at 28 weeks' gestation. The children were grouped according to whether their umbilical Doppler PI was high (indicating poor feto-placental circulation) or normal. At age 12 years we assessed CV risk factors, including anthropometric measures, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (a measure of arterial compliance), cardio-respiratory fitness, and homocysteine and cholesterol serum levels.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Compared with children with a normal UAD PI (<italic>N</italic> = 88), the children (<italic>N</italic> = 107) with high UAD PI had higher resting pulse rate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04), higher pulse wave velocity (<italic>p</italic> = 0.046), higher serum homocysteine levels (<italic>p</italic> = 0.032) and reduced arterial compliance (7.58 versus 8.50 m/s, <italic>p</italic> = 0.029) using univariate analysis. These differences were not present when adjusting for cofounders was modeled.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: High PI on UAD testing <italic>in-utero</italic> may be associated with increased likelihood of some CV risk factors at age 12-years but confounding variables may be as important. Our study raises possible long-term benefits of <italic>in-utero</italic> UAD measurements.</p> </abstract>