Document Detail


Transient non-autoimmune fetal heart block.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15692198     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: Fetal heart block is a rare and irreversible condition associated with structural heart defects or maternal autoantibodies (SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La) resulting in permanent damage of the atrioventricular (AV) node. This is the first report of 4 cases with a transient fetal heart block in structurally normal hearts without maternal autoantibodies. METHODS: A report on 4 patients seen within a 14-year period at one center with fetal heart block without intracardiac abnormalities or maternal autoantibodies. RESULTS: Three patients were referred to our center with a fetal bradycardia (heart rate 70-85 bpm), between 20 and 33 weeks' gestational age, and 1 for a 'triple' test at 16 weeks' gestational age. Echocardiography showed a complete heart block in 2 fetuses, and a second-degree AV block in the other 2. Heart block had completely resolved at all following visits. Postnatal ECG recordings showed normal sinus rhythm in all patients. Echocardiographic evaluation at presentation and follow-up showed normal cardiac anatomy, without signs of hydrops or cardiac decompensation in all patients. All mothers tested negative on SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La autoantibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal heart block can occur in the absence of structural heart defects and maternal autoantibodies to SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La. The origin of such heart block is unknown, but its course seems benign: none of the patients ever showed ventricular heart rates <55 bpm, signs of congestive heart failure or fetal hydrops. Heart block resolved spontaneously in all patients.
Authors:
Johannes M P J Breur; Martijn A Oudijk; Philip Stoutenbeek; Gerard H A Visser; Erik J Meijboom
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Fetal diagnosis and therapy     Volume:  20     ISSN:  1015-3837     ISO Abbreviation:  Fetal. Diagn. Ther.     Publication Date:    2005 Mar-Apr
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-02-04     Completed Date:  2005-06-07     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9107463     Medline TA:  Fetal Diagn Ther     Country:  Switzerland    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  81-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/U MC, Utrecht, The Netherlands. hans_breur@hotmail.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Bradycardia / diagnosis
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Female
Fetal Diseases / ultrasonography*
Follow-Up Studies
Gestational Age
Heart Block / ultrasonography*
Heart Rate, Fetal
Humans
Pregnancy
Retrospective Studies
Ultrasonography, Prenatal

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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