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[Fetal arrhythmias: diagnosis, treatment and prognosis]
Funda Oztunç1, Resmiye Beşikçi, Ayşe Güler Eroğlu
1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul. foztunc@yahoo.com
Objective:
To evaluate patients who were referred to our center with suspicion of fetal arrhythmia for diagnosis, results of treatment and prognosis.
Methods:
Thirty-three patients referred to our center for evaluation of fetal cardiac arrhythmias were examined by M-mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography for cardiac anomaly and type of dysrhythmia
Results:
Arrhythmias were diagnosed in 15 of 33 patients. Four cases demonstrated tachycardia, 5--ectopic beats, 6--bradycardia. Of 5 fetuses with tachycardia, transplacental antiarrhythmic drugs were administered in three cases; two of them with hydrops died and conversion of the arrhythmia was achieved in one. Six patients with bradycardia had poor perinatal outcome, with 3 deaths occurred (two of them had third degree atrioventricular block, one of them had sinus bradycardia). All patients with ectopic beats had a good perinatal outcome.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that bradycardic and/or hydropic fetuses have poor prognosis, however fetuses with ectopic beats generally have desirable prognosis.