title: Influence of fetal anemia on fetal splenic artery Doppler in Rh-alloimmunized pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the correlation between fetal splenic artery Doppler velocimetry and fetal hemoglobin (Hb) levels in Rh alloimmunization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Splenic artery Doppler peak systolic velocity (PSV) and pulsatility index (PI) were obtained before cordocentesis in rhesus-alloimmunized fetuses. Doppler was performed before 80 cordocentesis in 36 patients between 20 and 35 weeks of gestation. Mild, moderate and severe anemia were defined as a Hb deficit of >or=2, >or=5 and >or=7 g/dl respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anemia was noted in 64% of the fetuses and moderate and severe anemia in 18 and 21%. Splenic artery PSV was higher in groups with moderate (p = 0.001) and severe (p < 0.000) anemia but not in the group with mild anemia (p = 0.189) when compared to non-anemic fetuses. Splenic artery PI was higher only in the severely anemic group (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The splenic artery PI and PSV are higher in fetuses with severe anemia.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. correajr@gmail.com
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: M J B V
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: A C V
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Apocalypse
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D017218:Cordocentesis; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D011247:Pregnancy; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000150:complications*; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography