title: Umbilical artery Doppler study as a predictive marker of perinatal outcome in preterm small for gestational age infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the merit of umbilical artery Doppler study as a predictive marker of perinatal outcome in preterm small for gestational age (SGA) infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 218 patients at 27 - 36 weeks of gestational age (GA) who received antenatal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry and delivered singleton infants with SGA. The ratio of peak-systolic to end-diastolic blood flow velocities (S/D) in the umbilical artery was measured in each patient. The patients were divided into 3 groups: the normal group with S/D ratios of less than 95th percentile (n = 134), elevated S/D ratio group of 95th or more percentile (n = 41), and those with absent/reversed end diastolic flow (n = 43). Maternal characteristics and neonatal outcomes of these groups were comparatively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gestational age (GA) at the time of diagnosis of SGA, the mean GA at delivery, and the mean birth weight showed statistically significant difference among three groups (p < 0.001). Also, poor perinatal outcome was significantly increased in infants with abnormal S/D ratio (13.4% vs. 31.7% vs. 67.4%, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed umbilical artery Doppler study as a significant independent factor for prediction of poor perinatal outcome (odds ratio: 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.4 - 9.5, p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antenatal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry is shown as a significantly efficient marker in predicting perinatal outcome in preterm SGA infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Haeng-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong In
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Joon Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suk Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*