Cardiac function in fetuses with intracardiac echogenic foci

Area of Science:

• Fetal Cardiology
• Diagnostic Echocardiography
• Congenital Heart Abnormalities

Background:

• Intracardiac echogenic foci are common findings in fetal echocardiography.
• Their association with cardiac function, particularly diastolic function, requires further investigation.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for accurate prenatal diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cardiac dimensions and function in euploid fetuses with intracardiac echogenic foci.
• To compare diastolic function indices between fetuses with and without intracardiac echogenic foci.

Main Methods:

• Echocardiography was performed on 48 euploid fetuses with a single left ventricular echogenic focus and 50 controls at 22-24 weeks gestation.
• Cardiac dimensions, ventricular shortening fraction, and Doppler systolic indices were measured.
• The ratio of early ventricular filling (E-wave) to active atrial filling (A-wave) peak velocities (E/A ratio) was assessed as an index of diastolic function.

Main Results:

• Fetuses with intracardiac echogenic foci showed significantly lower E/A ratios at both the mitral (0.37 vs. 0.59) and tricuspid valves (0.42 vs. 0.62) compared to controls.
• No significant differences were observed in cardiac dimensions, ventricular shortening fraction, or Doppler systolic indices.
• The findings indicate preserved systolic function but impaired diastolic function in the presence of echogenic foci.

Conclusions:

• Euploid fetuses with intracardiac echogenic foci demonstrate reduced E/A ratios in midtrimester echocardiography.
• This finding suggests potential cardiac diastolic dysfunction.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications of these diastolic abnormalities.