Fetal cardiac functional changes in pregnancies with Behcet's disease: A case-control study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Behcet's disease (BD) often experiences remission during pregnancy.
• Inflammation associated with BD may cause subtle fetal cardiac changes.
• Early detection of these changes is crucial for understanding fetal well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate fetal cardiac functions in pregnancies affected by Behcet's disease.
• To investigate potential subclinical cardiac alterations in fetuses of mothers with BD.
• To correlate fetal cardiac function parameters with the duration of Behcet's disease.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case-control study design was employed.
• Pregnant women with pre-existing Behcet's disease (n=24) and healthy controls (n=48) were assessed.
• Cardiac function was evaluated using pulsed-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) at 32-34 weeks gestation.

Main Results:

• Fetuses of mothers with BD exhibited significantly increased right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle (LV) E wave velocities.
• A significant decrease in RV E' (peak systolic velocity) was observed in the BD group.
• Elevated RV and LV E/E' ratios were noted in the BD group, strongly correlating with disease duration.

Conclusions:

• This is the first study to assess fetal cardiac function in pregnancies with Behcet's disease.
• Subclinical diastolic dysfunction may occur in fetuses of mothers with BD, even with disease remission during pregnancy.
• Findings suggest a link between Behcet's disease duration and fetal cardiac alterations, highlighting the need for monitoring.