Key result
Prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci persisted in up to 34.8% of infants but were not associated with myocardial dysfunction in the first year of life.
Why the study?
Are prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci associated with postnatal cardiac dysfunction?
Cohort (n=60)
No
Are prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci associated with postnatal cardiac dysfunction?
Prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci can persist postnatally but are not associated with myocardial dysfunction in the first year of life.
Supports short-term reassurance on myocardial function; leaves open longer-term implications in observational cohorts.
Echogenic foci in the prenatal hear is not an uncommon finding. To determine whether prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci are associated with neonatal cardiac dysfunction and persistence. Fetuses in which intracardiac echogenic foci were shown on prenatal sonography at 1 perinatal center from (September 2009 to December 2013) underwent postnatal echocardiography at ages 1 month to1 year. A single pediatric cardiologist assessed cardiac function by measuring the left ventricular shortening fraction and myocardial performance index. The presence of tricuspid valve regurgitation was also sought. Prenatally 60 fetuses had intracardiac echogenic foci mean age ± SD at diagnosis (23 ± 3.1). 53 (88.3%) had left ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci, and 7 (11.6%) had right ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci. 12 preganant ladies were lost for follow up (2 fetuses of 7 (28.5%) with right ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci., and 10 fetuses of 53 (18.8%) with LV intracardiac echogenic foci %). Post natally, those infants, 32 (66.6%) males and 16 (33.3%) females were examined. At a mean age ± SD of 7.4 ± 3.1 months. Prenatally, all infants had a normal left ventricular shortening fraction. The overall mean left ventricular myocardial performance index (reference value, 0.36 ± 0.06), was normal for both infants with left ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci (0.32 ± 0.01) and those with right ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci (0.33 ± 0.05). Trace tricuspid valve regurgitation were noted in 15 (31%) of the infants. Left ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci persisted in 15 infants (34.8%), whereas right ventricular intracardiac echogenic foci persisted in 1 infant (20%). Prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci can be persistent but is not associated with myocardial dysfunction in the first year of life.
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Rima S. Bader (2016) conducted a cohort in Intracardiac echogenic foci (n=60). Intracardiac echogenic foci vs. Reference values was evaluated on Neonatal cardiac dysfunction (left ventricular shortening fraction and myocardial performance index). Prenatally diagnosed intracardiac echogenic foci persisted in up to 34.8% of infants but were not associated with myocardial dysfunction in the first year of life.
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