| Diagnosing foetal atrioventricular heart blocks. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20696017 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Foetal echocardiographic ultrasound techniques still remain the dominating modality for diagnosing foetal atrioventricular block (AVB). Foetal electrocardiography might become a valuable tool to measure time intervals, but magnetocardiography is unlikely to get a place in clinical practice. Assuming that AVB is a gradually progressing and preventable disease, starting during a critical period in mid-gestation with a less abnormal atrioventricular conduction before progressing to a complete irreversible AVB (CAVB), echocardiographic methods to detect first-degree AVB have been developed. The time intervals obtained with these techniques are all based on the identification of mechanical or hemodynamic events as markers of atrial (A) and ventricular (V) depolarizations and will accordingly include both electrical and mechanical components. Prospective observational studies have demonstrated a transient prolongation of AV time intervals in anti-Ro/SSA antibody-exposed foetuses, but it has not succeeded to identify a degree of AV time prolongation predicting irreversible cardiac damage and progression to CAVB. Causes of sustained bradycardia include CAVB, 2:1 AVB, sinus bradycardia and blocked atrial bigeminy (BAB). Using foetal echocardiographic techniques and a systematic approach, a correct diagnosis can be made in almost every case. Sinus bradycardia and CAVB are usually easy to diagnose, but BAB has a tendency to be sustained and shows a high degree of resemblance with 2:1 AVB when diagnosed during mid-gestational. As BAB resolves without treatment and 2:1 AVB may respond to treatment with fluorinated steroids, a correct diagnosis becomes an issue of major importance to avoid unnecessary treatment of harmless and spontaneously reversing conditions. |
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Authors:
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S-E Sonesson |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Scandinavian journal of immunology Volume: 72 ISSN: 1365-3083 ISO Abbreviation: Scand. J. Immunol. Publication Date: 2010 Sep |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-08-10 Completed Date: 2010-10-21 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0323767 Medline TA: Scand J Immunol Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 205-12 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. sven-erik.sonesson@karolinska.se |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Atrioventricular Block
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classification,
congenital*,
diagnosis*,
physiopathology Echocardiography, Doppler / methods Fetal Diseases / classification, diagnosis*, physiopathology Heart Function Tests / methods Humans |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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