title: Excursion index of the septum primum in Thai fetuses of gestational diabetic mothers at 32 to 35 weeks' gestation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare excursion index of the septum primum (EISP) among Thai fetuses of gestational diabetic mothers (FGDMs) with and without septal hypertrophy (SH) and those of nondiabetic mothers from 32 to 35 weeks' gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetuses of Thai pregnant women were recruited for prenatal 2-dimensional echocardiographic measurements of the EISP (the ratio between the linear displacement of the flap valve of septum primum and the left atrial diameter) at 32 to 35 weeks' gestation. All had confirmed gestational age and normal structural scanning. The EISP was compared among gestational age--matched 15 FGDMs with SH, 18 FGDMs with normal septal thickness, and 20 fetuses of nondiabetic mothers. The data were presented as mean and standard deviation (SD). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the EISP of the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three measurements were obtained. Comparison among the three groups showed that the mean and SD of the EISP were 0.27 +/- 0.04, 0.50 +/- 0.04 and 0.51 +/- 0.05 in FGDMs with SH, normal septal thickness and those of nondiabetic mothers, respectively. The analysis demonstrated that the EISP was significantly less than in FGDMs with SH when compared to the FGDMs with normal septal thickness and those of nondiabetic mothers (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the EISP of the FGDMs with normal septal thickness and those of nondiabetic mothers (p = 0.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mobility of the septum primum in FGDMs with septal hypertrophy is reduced. This may indicate a higher preload compared to FGDMs with normal septal thickness and those of nondiabetic mothers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suratthani Hospital, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. lawanpat_pat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lawan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patchakapat
authors.forename: Boonchai
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uerpairojkit
authors.forename: Teera
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wacharaprechanont
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013785:Thailand; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal