Faculty Collaboration Database

Noninvasive Fetal Electrocardiography in the Diagnosis of Long QT Syndrome: A Case Series. Fetal Diagn Ther 2020;47(9):711-716

Date

07/03/2020

Pubmed ID

32615554

Pubmed Central ID

PMC7483932

DOI

10.1159/000508043

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85087868558 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   10 Citations

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Early detection and monitoring for malignant arrhythmias is fundamental to prenatal care in long QT syndrome (LQTS). Recently, we studied the feasibility of isolating the fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) and measuring electrocardiographic intervals with a noninvasive fECG device using blind source separation with reference signal. Our aim was to evaluate the ability of fECG to diagnose LQTS.

CASE PRESENTATIONS: We identified 3 cases of clinically suspected LQTS based on fetal echocardiogram (2 had sinus bradycardia, 1 had second-degree atrioventricular block with negative maternal anti-SSA/SSB antibody titers). With institutional review board approval, these patients were prospectively enrolled for fECG acquisition. Offline post-processing generated fECG waveforms and calculated QT intervals. Case 1 and 3 had a maternal history of LQTS. Two of the three fetuses with suspected LQTS had confirmed LQTS by postnatal ECG and genetic testing. FECG was able to identify a prolonged corrected QT interval in both cases. One of these also had fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG), which yielded similar findings to the fECG. The third fetus had a normal fECG; fMCG and postnatal ECG were also normal.

CONCLUSIONS: In 3 cases, fECG findings corroborated the diagnosis of LQTS. Noninvasive fECG may offer a novel method for fECG that is portable and more clinically accessible.

Author List

Sethi N, Funamoto K, Ingbar C, Mass P, Moak J, Wakai R, Strasburger J, Donofrio M, Khandoker A, Kimura Y, Krishnan A

Author

Janette F. Strasburger MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Electrocardiography
Female
Fetal Heart
Heart Rate, Fetal
Humans
Long QT Syndrome
Magnetocardiography
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care
Prenatal Diagnosis
Young Adult