title: New score indicating placental vascular resistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry is a routine method for fetal surveillance in high-risk pregnancy. Uterine artery Doppler seems to give comparable information, but it can be difficult to interpret as there are two arteries, which might show notching and/or increased pulsatility index (PI) as signs of increased vascular impedance. Combining the information on vascular resistance on both sides in a new score might simplify and improve evaluation of placental circulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uterine and umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry was evaluated in 633 high-risk pregnancies. The managing clinician was informed only about the umbilical artery flow. The umbilical artery flow spectrum was semiquantitatively divided into four blood flow classes (BFC), expressing signs of increasing vascular resistance. The uterine artery Doppler flow spectrum was divided into five uterine artery scores (UAS), taking into account presence/absence of notching and/or increase in PI. By adding UAS to BFC, a new placental score (PLS) was constructed with values ranging from 0 to 7, indicating general placental vascular resistance. The scores were related to three outcome variables: small-for-gestational age (SGA), premature delivery (<37 weeks), and cesarean section.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three score systems showed a significant relationship between signs of increasing vascular resistance and outcome. The new PLS showed the best association to adverse outcomes, with optimal cut-off at values exceeding score 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Doppler velocimetry on both sides of the placenta showed a strong relationship to an adverse outcome of pregnancy. The new PLS showed a better relationship to adverse perinatal outcome than the BFC and the UAS. The PLS can simplify evaluation of uteroplacental and fetoplacental Doppler velocimetry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. saemundur.gudmundsson@obst.mas.lu.se
authors.forename: Saemundur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gudmundsson
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korszun
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Olofsson
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubiel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014655:Vascular Resistance