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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Heart function by M-mode and tissue Doppler in the early neonatal period in neonates with fetal growth restriction
Eirik Nestaas1, Lisa Bjarkø2, Torvid Kiserud3
1Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Clinic of Paediatrics and Adolescence, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
Background:
Fetal growth restricted (FGR) neonates have increased risk of circulatory compromise due to failure of normal transition of circulation after birth.
Aim:
Echocardiographic assessment of heart function in FGR neonates first three days after birth.
Study Design:
Prospective observational study.
Subjects:
FGR- and non-FGR neonates.
Outcome Measures:
M-mode excursions and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler velocities normalised for heart size and E/e' of the atrioventricular plane day one, two and three after birth.
Results:
Compared with controls (non-FGR of comparable gestational age, n = 41), late-FGR (gestational age ≥ 32 weeks, n = 21) exhibited higher septal excursion (15.9 (0.6) vs. 14.0 (0.4) %, p = 0.021) (mean (SEM)) and left E/e' (17.3 (1.9) vs.11.5 (1.3), p = 0.019). Relative to day three, indexes on day one were higher for left excursion (21 (6) % higher on day one, p = 0.002), right excursion (12 (5) %, p = 0.025), left e' (15 (7) %, p = 0.049), right a' (18 (6) %, p = 0.001), left E/e' (25 (10) %, p = 0.015) and right E/e' (17 (7) %, p = 0.013), whereas no index changed from day two to day three. Late-FGR had no impact on changes from day one and two to day three. No measurements differed between early-FGR (n = 7) and late-FGR.
Conclusions:
FGR impacted neonatal heart function the early transitional days after birth. Late-FGR hearts had increased septal contraction and reduced left diastolic function compared with controls. The dynamic changes in heart function between first three days were most evident in lateral walls, with similar pattern in late-FGR and non-FGR. Early-FGR and late-FGR exhibited similar heart function.
