Inflammation and congenital heart disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Harnessing the maternal immune system to predict fetal congenital heart disease
IRAS ID
345102
Contact name
Suchita Nadkarni
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of birth defect, affecting 1% of all pregnancies1. Despite the very early developmental stages of cardiac formation, with some cases of CHD detected at initial maternity booking scan (11-14weeks), the diagnosis of most CHDs does not occur until the 2nd trimester, between 18 and 22 weeks.
Based on our previously published data, we hypothesise that the maternal immune system plays a pivotal role in the development of the fetal heart. Specifically, underlying maternal inflammation early in pregnancy negatively impacts placental development, which in turn leads to congenital heart anomalies in the developing fetus. Thus, indications of maternal inflammation in the first trimester of pregnancy could pave the way for biomarkers for the early prediction of fetal congenital heart diseases (CHD) and identify potential therapeutic targets and non-invasive interventions. To address our hypothesis, we will undertake 2 main aims:1. A retrospective cohort study to identify inflammatory markers in the maternal circulation within the first trimester of pregnancy from a cohort of confirmed fetal CHD cases and healthy controls, utilising stored Booking Blood samples taken at 10 weeks of pregnancy.
2. An observational cohort study to analyse the immune cell status from maternal blood samples at the 20 week scan, when a fetal CHD has been confirmed and analyse placental tissue at time of delivery for inflammatory and structural changesREC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0201
Date of REC Opinion
18 Sep 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion