Middle Cerebral Artery-to-Uterine Artery Pulsatility Index Ratio Independently Predicts Adverse Perinatal Outcome in Pregnancies at Term

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate potential predictors, including cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), middle cerebral artery (MCA)/uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) ratio, for adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies at term.Methods: This was an observational, prospective study of recruited pregnancies at term. An adverse perinatal outcome was set as the primary observational endpoint. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to investigate the predictive and cut-off values of risk factors for adverse perinatal outcome. Independent risk factors (maternal, neonatal, prenatal ultrasound and Doppler variables) for adverse perinatal outcome were evaluated by the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results: A total of 392 pregnancies at term were included and 19.4% of them had suffered adverse perinatal outcome. CPR (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.20-0.93, P=0.032) and MCA/uterine artery PI ratio (OR: 0.25, 95%CI: 0.16-0.42, P=0.032) were two independent risk factors for adverse perinatal outcome by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Conclusions: MCA/uterine artery PI ratio is a good predictor of adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies at term.

The implications of exosomes in pregnancy: emerging as new diagnostic markers and therapeutics targets

“…It is still unclear about the etiology of GDM, but some of the important factors in causing the GDM to include overweight status before pregnancy, ethnicity, previous GDM, hormone level, and family history of diabetes [ 116 ]. During pregnancy in the maternal peripheral blood, common factors that reflect pregnancy status are blood glucose glycocholic acid, soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, circulating foetal DNA and exosomes, and circulating miRNAs [ 117 – 119 ]. Exosomes can be extremely attention as they play a pivotal role in studying the pathophysiology of GDM and potential personalized therapy.…”