Correlation analysis of time-interval parameter of ductus venosus and neonatal blood pressure at birth in fetal growth restriction

Abstract

Abstract The aims of this study were to compare the blood pressure at birth between fetal growth restriction (FGR) cases and normally grown preterm cases, and also to elucidate whether the time interval of the flow velocity waveform of ductus venosus (DV-FVW) and/or the pulsatility index of ductus venosus (DV-PI) shows a correlation with blood pressure at birth in FGR cases. FGR was defined as an estimated fetal body weight below -2.0 SD with an elevated PI of the umbilical artery (> 95 percentile). As a control group (CTL), infants matched for gestational week of delivery were selected. Doppler parameters (DV-PI and the ratio of systolic to diastolic time intervals of the DV-FVW (DV-S/D)) were measured in the FGR group within a day before delivery. The relationships were assessed between Doppler parameters and neonatal blood pressures: systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure. Each blood pressure in the FGR group was lower than those in the control group. Moreover, there were significant correlations of the DV-S/D with systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures in the FGR group, while the DV-PI did not show any correlation with any blood pressures. The DV-S/D might be a predictive parameter for low blood pressure at birth in preterm neonates complicated with placental dysfunction.