Diagnostics
Subclinical Cardiovascular Adaptation in Uncomplicated Monochorionic Twin Pregnancies: Echocardiographic and Cardiac Biomarker Findings
By Marta Campillo Ajenjo, Beatriz Herrero Ruíz, Laura Sotillo and 8 others.
Abstract
Background
Although cardiac involvement is well characterized in complicated monochorionic (MC) pregnancies, whether subtle cardiovascular changes occur in uncomplicated pregnancies remains unclear. We characterized fetal and neonatal cardiovascular adaptation using echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers.
Methods
In this prospective longitudinal cohort, 76 dichorionic (DC) and 68 uncomplicated monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins underwent fetal echocardiography at 28 weeks and neonatal echocardiography within 72 h after birth. Cord blood N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) were assessed at delivery. Analyses used generalized estimating equations to account for within-pregnancy clustering and Benjamini–Hochberg correction for multiple comparisons. Associations between cardiac biomarkers and fetal echocardiographic parameters and interactions with chorionicity and gestational age at birth were also evaluated.