OP11.08: Quantification of fetal myocardial function in pregnant women with diabetic diseases and in normal controls using speckle‐tracking echocardiography (STE)

The purpose of our study was to quantify the fetal myocardial function in pregnant women with diabetic diseases (FDM) and in normal controls (FC) using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). In this prospective study, the myocardial strain and dyssynchrony were analysed using STE in a transversal four-chamber view in 180 fetuses (53 FDM, 127 FC) between 19 and 39 weeks of gestation. The measurements of the global and segmental longitudinal strain of both chambers (2C) and of the single left chamber (1C) were executed offline via QLab 10.5 (Philips Medical Systems, Andover, MA, USA). We assessed dyssynchrony as the time difference between peaks in strain in the mid segments of both chambers (interventricular dyssynchrony, 2C_DYS) and of the single left chamber (intraventricular dyssynchrony, 1C_DYS). Measurements were feasible with a high median frame rate of 199 frames/s (1st quartile: 174, 3rd quartile: 199). The global and segmental myocardial longitudinal strain of 2C and 1C were decreased and 2C_DYS and 1C_DYS were increased in pregnancies with diabetes compared to normal controls. Our study demonstrates that fetal hearts affected by maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) show low myocardial strain values and high interventricular dyssynchrony. Two-chamber interventricular dyssynchrony has the potential to become a diagnostic marker for DM. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.