Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2025
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Left atrial shortening fraction to predict fetal cardiac abnormalities and dysfunction in gestational diabetes
Yu-Qing Peng1,2, Xuan Qiu1, Li Wang1
1Department of Ultrasonic, Chinese PLA General Hospital-Sixth Medical Center, Beijing, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of left atrial shortening fraction (LASF) in the detection of fetal cardiac abnormalities and dysfunction in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Methods:
In this study, we enrolled 256 pregnant women and divided them into GDM group (n = 156) and control group (n = 100). Fetal echocardiography was performed at 24-28 weeks of gestation to measure the LASF and interventricular septum (IVS) thickness. Based on IVS thickness, the GDM group was subdivided into the septal hypertrophy group (GDM I, n = 62) and non-septal hypertrophy group (GDM II, n = 94). LASF and IVS thickness were compared between the GDM and control groups and between GDM I and GDM II groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of LASF in predicting septal hypertrophy.
Results:
The GDM group had a larger IVS thickness (P < 0.05) but a lower LASF level (P < 0.001) than those of the control group. GDM I group had significantly lower LASF level than that in the GDM II group (P < 0.001). At 38.41% as the cutoff value, the LASF can predict septal hypertrophy with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 96.7% and 65.2%, respectively.
Conclusion:
Fetal GDM are more likely to induce septal hypertrophy and ventricular dysfunction. LASF is a good indicator of septal hypertrophy or early diastolic dysfunction without septal hypertrophy.
