OP20.01: Are first trimester cardiac fetal dynamic parameters related to nuchal translucency thickness?

Objectives An abnormal blood/lymphatic flow pattern may be associated to higher nuchal translucency (NT) values in euploid fetuses. The aim of this study is to evaluate differences in fetal cardiocirculatory dynamic parameters in euploid fetuses with higher NT. Methods Observational prospective study. All women referred to our centre for chorionic villous sampling (CVS) between March and August 2015 were included. All examinations were performed by the same investigator (F.P.) using a Samsung Medical System Accuvix A30 with a trans-abdominal probe. The ultrasound examination included evaluation of crown–rump length (CRL), NT, fetal cardiocirculatory dynamic parameters. Clinical and demographic information were recorded for each patient. Subsequently, a different investigator (L.D.) performed the trace analysis on the digitally stored images. Outcome was assessed through results from CVS and phone enquiry. Only single viable fetuses with CRL between 42 and 85 mm were included. We excluded cases with NT > 3.5 mm, unsatisfactory quality of ultrasound, cardiac and extracardiac malformations and chromosomal aberrations identified during pregnancy or after birth. Results A total of 226 cases were included. At multivariate regression analysis, gestational age (p 0.0001), maternal BMI (p 0.003), pulmonary ejection time (p 0.02) and left isovolumic contraction time (p = 0.035) were correlated to higher NT. No differences in right and left TEI-index were reported. At multivariate logistic regression analysis, when we considered a cut-off of higher NT > 2,5 mm, only tricuspid Early wave (OR 1.10 CI95%1.0-1.20, p0.04) and gestational age (OR 2.61 CI95%1.28-5.32) were related to NT. Conclusions Right and left TEI-index were not correlated to higher NT values.