Cardiac Hypertrophy in Neonates Born to Diabetic Mothers at Farhat Hached of Sousse University Hospital

Introduction: The association between cardiac hypertrophy and hyperinsulinism is mainly observed in the newborn, although the onset in older infants has also been described. The aim of our study is to research a cardiac hypertrophy in newborns of diabetic mothers. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study, involving one hundred and twenty (120) newborns of diabetic mothers from August 1st to November 30, 2020. These newborns of diabetic mothers had received an echocardiographic examination at the laboratory of the FARHAT HACHED University Hospital in Sousse (Tunisia) regardless of the associated cardiac or extracardiac pathology, during the study period, to detect cardiac hypertrophy. Results: The sex ratio was in favor of the female gender at 0.90. The average weight was 3554.04 g, with extremes ranging from 1,600 g to 5,200 g. Twelve (12) newborns had a weight greater than or equal to 4,000 g (10.00% of macrosomes). Among mothers, there were 03 types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes (2.65%), type 2 diabetes (0.88%) and gestational diabetes (96.46%). Echocardiography was normal in 91 neonates (75.83%) and abnormal in 29 neonates (24.17%). The prevalence of cardiac hypertrophy was 09.17% and that of other associated cardiac abnormalities was 21.66%. There were 11 cases of patent foramen ovale, 11 cases of patent ductus arteriosus, 02 cases of ostium secundum atrial septal defect, 01 case of interrupted aortic arch, 01 case of pulmonary stenosis. These abnormalities were associated on the one hand with the septal hypertrophy and on the other hand, associated with each other in the same newborn. Left ventricular ejection function was normal in all neonates with an average of 66% and extremes between 59% and 76%. Conclusion: Cardiac hypertrophy described in the newborn of diabetic mother is characterized by hypertrophy of the ventricular walls more often predominating over the septum. Transthoracic echocardiography is the reference (non-invasive) technique for diagnosing and monitoring these hypertrophies.