Abstract
Aim:This study aims to investigate the effects of maternal asthma on
fetal cardiac functions. Methods:The study was planned with 30 pregnant
women who presented to a tertiary health center and were diagnosed with
asthma and 60 healthy controls with similar gestational ages. The fetal
echocardiographic assessment was assessed between 33 and 35 weeks of
gestation with pulsed-wave Doppler (PW), M-mode, and tissue Doppler
imaging (TDI). Fetal cardiac functions were compared between maternal
asthma and control group. Cardiac functions were assessed according to
the duration of maternal asthma diagnosis, as well. Results:Early
diastolic function parameters, tricuspid E wave (p=0.001), and tricuspid
E/A ratio (P=0.005) were significantly lower in the group with maternal
asthma. TAPSE and MAPSE values were statistically lower in the study
group than in the control group; p=0.010 and p=0.012, respectively.
Parameters assessed with TDI (E’, A’, S’, E/E’, and MPI’ of tricuspid
valves) and global cardiac function parameters assessed with pulsed-wave
Doppler like myocardial performance index (MPI) and left cardiac output
(LCO) were similar between groups (p> 0.05). Although, MPI
did not change between groups, and the isovolumetric relaxation time
(IVRT) value was prolonged in maternal asthma cases (p=0.025).
Conclusion:We found that maternal asthma disease causes alteration in
fetal diastolic and early systolic cardiac functions, but the global
fetal cardiac function does not change. Diastolic heart function values
also varied with the duration of maternal asthma. Prospective studies
are needed to compare fetal cardiac functions with additional patient
groups according to disease severity and type of medical treatment.