A comparative study of left ventricular function during pregnancy without and with gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The use of nanoscale ultrasonic contrast agent greatly improved the reliability of ultrasonic technology detection, and it became an effective tool to detect a series of diseases. Gestational hypertension and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are unique and common complications during pregnancy, and they seriously affect women’s postnatal health. In this study, we evaluated the practical value of echocardiogram in evaluating Left Ventricular (LV) morphology and function changes during pregnancy with gestational hypertension and GDM. 46 pregnant women with gestational hypertension and GDM as disease group and 50 healthy pregnant women as normal group were included in the study. By echocardiogram analysis, the morphology, systole and diastole functions of LV were compared in both groups. With LV morphology change during pregnancy, LA volume (P = 0.011) of disease group was bigger than that of normal group and LV mass (P < 0.0001) and LVMi (P < 0.0001) of disease group were higher than that of normal group. However, the LVPWd (P < 0.0001) and IVSd (P < 0.0001) of disease group thickened clearly relative to that of the normal group. However, these values, including LVIDd (P = 0.185), EF value (P = 0.779), FS value (P = 0.740) and Cardiac Index (P = 0.444) for their cardiac LV systolic functions of two groups, had very few large-scale differences. Compared to normal pregnant cardiac, the E value (P = 0.014) was lower and the A value (P < 0.0001) was higher in the disease group. Moreover, E/A ratio (P < 0.0001) was obviously less than that in the experimental. According to TDI measures for both groups, the E’ value (P < 0.0001) and ratio of E/A’ (P < 0.0001) were lower and A’ value (P = 0.003) was slightly higher in the disease group compared with normal group. In recent years, we found that the E/E’ value (P = 0.0002) in the disease group was also higher. In summary, LV diastolic function during pregnancy with complications changes pregnant LV morphology and function. Echocardiogram can be used for testing and monitoring these changes as one of simple and reliable inspection methods.