Ethnicity and other factors that may affect the prevalence of echogenic intracardiac foci in the fetus.
OBJECTIVE
To study ethnicity and other possible factors that may affect the incidence of echogenic intracardiac foci (EIF) when detected via sonographic examination.


METHODS
Patients were referred to our institution for sonographic evaluation from a wide range of practice formats, including both private obstetric practices as well as community outpatient clinics. The study protocol included presence or absence of EIF, maternal age, ethnicity, gestational age during the examination, optimal versus suboptimal scans, presence of other fetal malformations and sonographic markers, and presence of chromosomal anomalies. Fetal outcome was ascertained in 90% of the study group. For statistical analysis, the chi-square test and the Student t-test were used.


RESULTS
The study group included 1,543 patients who had a fetal anatomy survey between 16 and 24 weeks' gestation. The prevalence of EIF was similar in all 4 ethnic groups (Asian, Hispanic, black, and white). There were 76 cases of EIF-an overall prevalence of 4.9%. Seventy-one of these cases were isolated in the left ventricle, 2 were isolated in the right ventricle, and 3 showed multiple foci. The prevalence of EIF was similar between younger and older patients, early and late gestational age at the time of sonographic examination, and optimal and suboptimal sonograms. Fetuses with EIF had significantly more congenital anomalies and other sonographic markers compared with fetuses without EIF.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find any significant difference in the prevalence of EIF among the 4 different ethnic groups. The association between congenital anomalies and other sonographic markers should be studied further.
Lim
Louis
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Aptekar
Leslie
L
Bombard
Allan
A
Juliard
Kell
K
Meenakshi
Bhillakar
B
Weiner
Zeev
Z
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal