Diagnostic Value of Fetal Echocardiography for Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Author Information
Author(s): Zheng Min, Ruan Yanping, Sun Lin, Liu Xiaowei, Han Jiancheng, He Yihua
Primary Institution: Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University
Hypothesis
To explore the diagnostic value of crucial parameters of echocardiography for fetal bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and improve diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusion
The combination of 'Increased supra-aortic valve velocity' and 'Two commissures and a fish-mouth opening' had the best diagnostic capability and could reduce the rate of misdiagnosis.
Supporting Evidence
- Increased supra-aortic flow velocity was present in all confirmed cases, suggesting fetal aortic stenosis.
- The combination of echo signs 1 and 2 had the best diagnostic capacity.
- Fetuses diagnosed with BAV should be followed up prenatally for the aortic valve and ascending aorta.
Takeaway
Doctors can use special ultrasound signs to better diagnose a heart problem in babies before they are born, which helps avoid mistakes.
Methodology
Fetuses with a prenatal suspected diagnosis of BAV were followed, and confirmed and misdiagnosed cases were obtained. Prenatal echocardiography was reviewed and analyzed. ROC curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of different echo signs.
Potential Biases
There is a high rate of misdiagnosis in fetuses with BAV, indicating challenges in prenatal diagnosis.
Limitations
The study subjects were fetuses with suspected BAV, leading to selection bias, and the sample size was small.
Participant Demographics
Among the 14 confirmed cases, 10 are males, with a mean maternal age of 30.5 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.004
Confidence Interval
95%CI: 0.752-1.000
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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