Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) to monitor cardiac time intervals in fetuses at risk for isoimmune AV block.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this report is to detect cardiac time intervals (CTIs) in fetuses exposed to SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies in relation to gestational age (GA) and fetal weight and compared them with a control cohort.

METHODS

Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) recordings were conducted on a biomagnetic device dedicated to obstetrical measurement starting in the second trimester. Fetal cardiac time intervals of 87 healthy fetuses of normal gestation (control group) were compared to 11 fetuses exposed to maternal SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies (study group).

RESULTS

fCTIs were analyzed starting at 17 weeks of GA. Atrial and ventricular depolarization times increased with GA in both groups. PQ segments were significantly longer in the study group (50.8 ms vs. 60.2 ms; p < 0.001) independent of GA or fetal weight. PQ segment prolongation was more obvious in the study group prior to 30 weeks of GA.

CONCLUSION

PQ segment prolongation can be interpreted as early AV-node involvement caused by maternal SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies. The age dependency of the PQ segment should be taken into account in further studies.