Circulating EGFL7 distinguishes between IUGR and PE: an observational case-control study.

Isolated intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) share common placental pathogenesis. Differently from IUGR, PE is a systemic disorder which may also affect liver and brain. Early diagnosis of these conditions may optimize maternal and fetal management.

Distinction between SGA and FGR by means of fetal umbilical vein flow and maternal hemodynamics.

Objectives: To improve identification of fetal growth restriction (FGR) by means of umbilical venous flow (QUV) and maternal hemodynamics, including systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and cardiac output (CO), in order to distinguish between FGR and SGA.

Methods: We enrolled 68 pregnancies (36 SGA, 8 early FGR and 24 late FGR) who underwent a complete fetal hemodynamic examination including QUV and a noninvasive maternal hemodynamics assessment by means of USCOM.

Results: In comparison with SGA, QUV and corrected for estimated fetal weight QUV (cQUV) were significantly lower in early and late-FGR.

Hemodynamic maladaptation and left ventricular dysfunction in chronic hypertensive patients at the beginning of gestation and pregnancy complications: a case control study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate early pregnancy differences in maternal hemodynamics, cardiac geometry and function, between chronic hypertensive (CH) patients with and without the development of feto-maternal complications later in pregnancy.

Methods: We performed a case-control study on nulliparous CH treated patients. From a group of CH patients referred to our outpatient clinic at 4-6 weeks for a clinical evaluation the first consecutive 30 patients with subsequent complications (superimposed PE, abruptio placentae, uncontrolled severe hypertension with delivery <34 weeks, HELLP syndrome, FGR, perinatal death) were enrolled; the first 2 CH women with uneventful pregnancy referred after the case were enrolled as controls for a total of 60 patients.

Maternal Cardiovascular Dysfunction is Associated with Hypoxic Cerebral and Umbilical Doppler Changes.

We investigate the relationship between maternal cardiovascular (CV) function and fetal Doppler changes in healthy pregnancies and those with pre-eclampsia (PE), small for gestational age (SGA) or fetal growth restriction (FGR). This was a three-centre prospective study, where CV assessment was performed using inert gas rebreathing, continuous Doppler or impedance cardiography. Maternal cardiac output (CO) and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) were analysed in relation to the uterine artery, umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) pulsatility indices (PI, expressed as -scores by gestational week) using polynomial regression analyses, and in relation to the presence of absent/reversed end diastolic (ARED) flow in the UA.