Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(1):33-38
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013000100007
PURPOSE: To create longitudinal reference intervals for pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical (UA), middle cerebral (MCA), uterine (UtA) arteries and ductus venosus (DV) in a Brazilian cohort. METHODS: A longitudinal observational study performed from February 2010 to May 2012. Low risk pregnancies were scanned fortnightly from 18 to 40 weeks for the measurements of PI of the UA, MCA, DV and UtA. Linear mixed models were used for the elaboration of longitudinal reference intervals (5th, 50th and 95th percentiles) of these measurements. PI obtained for the placental and abdominal portions of the umbilical artery were compared by the t-test for independent samples. Two-sided p values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients underwent 1,242 scans. There was significant decrease in PI values of all vessels studied with gestational age (GA). From the 18th to the 40th week of pregnancy, the median PI values of UA (abdominal and placental ends of the cord), MCA, DV and the mean PI of the UtA ranged from 1.19 to 0.74, 1.33 to 0.78, 1.56 to 1.39, 0.58 to 0.41, and 0.98 to 0.66, respectively. The following equations were obtained for the prediction of the medians: PI-UA=1.5602786 - (0.020623 x GA); Logarithm of the PI-MCA=0.8149111 - (0.004168 x GA) - [0.02543 x (GA - 28.7756)²]; Logarithm of the PI-DV=-0.26691- (0.015414 x GA); PI-UtA = 1.2362403 - (0.014392 x GA). There was a significant difference between the PI-UA obtained at the abdominal and placental ends of the umbilical cord (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal reference intervals for the main gestational Doppler parameters were obtained in a Brazilian cohort. These intervals could be more adequate for the follow-up of maternal-fetal hemodynamic modifications in normal and abnormal pregnancies, a fact that still requires further validation.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(10):466-472
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012001000006
PURPOSES: To elaborate models for the estimation of fetal weight and longitudinal reference intervals of estimated fetal weight (EFW) using a sample of the Brazilian population. METHODS: Prospective observational study. Two groups of patients were evaluated: Group EFW (estimation of fetal weight): to elaborate (EFW-El) and validate (EFW-Val) a model for the prediction of fetal weight; Group LRI (longitudinal reference intervals): To elaborate (LRI-El) and validate (LRF-Val) conditional (longitudinal) percentiles of EFW. Polynomial regression analysis was applied to the data from subgroup EFW-El to elaborate a model for the estimation of fetal weight. The performance of this model was compared to those of previously published formulas. Linear mixed models were used for the elaboration of longitudinal reference intervals of EFW using data from subgroup LRI-El. Data obtained from subgroup LRI-Val were used to validate these intervals. RESULTS: Group EFW consisted of 458 patients (EFW-El: 367; EFW-Val: 91) and Group LRI consisted of 315 patients (LRI-El: 265; LRI-Val: 50). The model obtained for EFW was: EFW=-8.277+2.146xBPDxACxFL-2.449xFLxBPD². The performances of other models were significantly worse than those obtained with our formula. Equations for the prediction of conditional percentiles of EFW were derived from the longitudinal observation of patients of subgroup LRI-El and validated with data from subgroup LRI-Val. CONCLUSIONS: We described a method for customization of longitudinal reference intervals of EFW obtained using formulas generated from a sample of the Brazilian population.