Maternal cardiac function in placental complications

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Maternal cardiac function in high-risk pregnancies with impaired placentation

• IRAS ID

  186523

• Contact name

  Kypros Nicolaides

• Contact email

  kypros@fetalmedicine.com

• Sponsor organisation

  Kings College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 3 days

• Research summary

  Poor placental formation has been associated with poor function of the heart in pregnant women. The most common clinical outcome of poor placental formation is preeclampsia (PE), which is essentially a condition of high blood pressure and protein loss in the urine. Early changes in heart function of pregnant women have been shown to precede the clinical symptoms of PE, hence the evaluation of the maternal heart function can potentially lead to effective early detection of PE, thus allowing effective prevention of the condition. The benefit of early identification of poor adaptation of heart function in PE could potentially minimise the long-term negative heart effects in both the mother and infant.
  
  In this study, we aim to first compare longitudinally the heart function of high risk pregnant women for PE, identified from first trimester combined screening, to that of low risk pregnant women. This would be performed by using a non-invasive, easy to use heart monitor (Bioreactance technology) involving 4 sensors (like the assessment of heart traces, i.e. ECG) on the patient's back. This would allow us to demonstrate the pregnant woman's unique heart reserve and the cascade of heart decompensation along a spectrum of blood flow manifestations in both high and low risk pregnancies.

  The longitudinal comparison of the heart function of high and low risk women would allow us to develop a physiological 'cardiac timeline' which demonstrates the blood flow changes across three trimesters. We hypothesise that deviation from the physiological timeline would coincide with the clinical onset of PE. Finally, we explore the possibility of developing an effective screening model for PE, by using the evolutionary maternal heart function parameters, contingent on the results of the first trimester combined test.

• REC name

  London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/LO/1815

• Date of REC Opinion

  30 Nov 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion