Short Communication
English
Hanifa Alrabte 1, Amel Morgham 2, Mohamed Sultan 2, Amel Alshah1, Mohamed Dekna1
1- Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Tripoli Children’s Hospital 2- Department of Antenatal care at Al-Jala Maternity Hospital Tripoli, Libya
JMJ 2010,Vol.10, No.1:68-70
Abstract
Objective: To calculate the overall incidence of interventricular septal hypertrophy (IVSH) in foetuses and infants of diabetic women and to determine the related risk factors. Paients and Methods: A descriptive longitudinal study was conducted in Tripoli Children’s Hospital (TCH) from January 2003 up to May 2007. All diabetic pregnant mothers who were followed up in Al-Jala Maternity Hospital underwent foetal echocardiography screening for their foetuses from 28-38 weeks of gestation. Septal thickness >5mm during diastole was taken as IVSH (M mode echo cardiography). The infants were reassessed at 1st and 6th months of age. Verbal consents was obtained from the mothers who were included in this study. Results: 360 pregnant diabetic women were examined 38(10.5 %) had foetuses with IVSH. One foetus (2.6%) died during the intra- uterine period. Two of the infants died during the early neonatal period (Death was not related to the IVSH). Thirty-seven infants rechecked during the early neonatal period. Four of them showed signs of heart failure due to severe septal hypertrophy for which they received treatment. And three infants showed severe IVSH with no symptoms. Twentyeight out of 35 infants (80%) regained normal septal thickness during the 1st month of age. All of the infants regained their normal septal thickness by the age of six months. No statistically significant correlation was found between IVSH and the infant’s birthweight (P=0.897). Among the affected infants 71% had mothers with Gestational diabetes. Conclusion: IVSH is not uncommon among foetuses of diabetic women. It is more prevalent in foetuses of women who have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). IVSH has a benign course as all of the living infants showed complete remission by their sixth month of age. Recommendations: All pregnant women especially those who are at high risk of diabetes should be screened for the early detection and control of their Diabetes. Foetal echocardiography screening is highly recommended for this group of mothers.
Keywords: Interventricular septal hypertrophy (IVSH), Infant of diabetic mothers, Foetal echocardiography.
Link/DOI: http://www.jmj.org.ly/images/stories/spring2010/68.pdf