title: Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) to monitor cardiac time intervals in fetuses at risk for isoimmune AV block.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this report is to detect cardiac time intervals (CTIs) in fetuses exposed to SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies in relation to gestational age (GA) and fetal weight and compared them with a control cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) recordings were conducted on a biomagnetic device dedicated to obstetrical measurement starting in the second trimester. Fetal cardiac time intervals of 87 healthy fetuses of normal gestation (control group) were compared to 11 fetuses exposed to maternal SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies (study group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  fCTIs were analyzed starting at 17 weeks of GA. Atrial and ventricular depolarization times increased with GA in both groups. PQ segments were significantly longer in the study group (50.8 ms vs. 60.2 ms; p < 0.001) independent of GA or fetal weight. PQ segment prolongation was more obvious in the study group prior to 30 weeks of GA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PQ segment prolongation can be interpreted as early AV-node involvement caused by maternal SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies. The age dependency of the PQ segment should be taken into account in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany fMEG Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany isabelle.kiefer@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiefer-Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany fMEG Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: fMEG Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Preissl
authors.affiliation: fMEG Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Draganova
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany fMEG Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abele
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: K O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Kagan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pulmonology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henes
mesh_terms: D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D015148:Cardiotocography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053798:Magnetocardiography; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG); atrioventricular block; fetal cardiac time intervals (fCTIs)