Pulmonary hypoplasia associated with congenital heart diseases: a fetal study.
BACKGROUND
Abnormalities of the fetal pulmonary vasculature may affect lung morphogenesis. Postnatal studies have suggested that pulmonary hypoplasia (PH) may be associated with congenital heart diseases (CHDs).


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of PH associated with CHDs, and to evaluate whether CHDs with right outflow obstruction were associated with the highest risk of lung growth impairment.


METHODS
Between January 2006 and December 2010, fetuses with CHD obtained following the termination of pregnancies due to fetal abnormalities were examined in a prospective manner for the detection of heart and lung defects. CHDs were classified into five pathophysiological groups. Lung weight (LW), body weight (BW), and LW/BW ratio were analyzed for each case. The expression of CD31 and VEGF in the lung was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Fetuses with CHDs and right outflow obstruction had significantly lower LW for a given BW, and significantly lower LW/BW ratios for a given gestational age. When defining PH as a fetal LW/BW ratio <0.015 before 28 weeks, and <0.012 after 28 weeks, PH was detected in 15 of the 119 fetuses analyzed (13%). It was significantly associated with CHD with right outflow obstruction, independently of chromosomal abnormalities and associated extracardiac abnormalities (p<0.03). Right outflow obstruction was detected in 60% of the fetuses with CHD and PH, but in only 32% of those with CHD but no PH. In fetuses with right outflow obstruction, no difference was observed between those with PH and those without PH, in terms of the ratio of pulmonary artery diameter to aortic diameter, lung CD31 expression, or lung VEGF expression.


CONCLUSIONS
CHDs with right outflow obstruction are a significant risk factor for prenatally acquired PH. The occurrence of fetal PH is not correlated with abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature, suggesting the involvement of perfusion-independent mechanisms.
AP-HP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Centre de Référence pour les Maladies Respiratoires Rares de l'Enfant, Paris, France.
Isabelle
I
Ruchonnet-Metrailler
AP-HP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Service Histo-Embryologie et Cytogénétique, Paris, France; INSERM UMR 781, Paris, France.
Bettina
B
Bessieres
AP-HP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Cardiologie Pédiatrique, M3C-Centre de Référence pour les Malformations Cardiaques Congénitales Complexes Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France.
Damien
D
Bonnet
INSERM, U955, IMRB, Equipe 04, Créteil, France.
Shamila
S
Vibhushan
AP-HP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Centre de Référence pour les Maladies Respiratoires Rares de l'Enfant, Paris, France; INSERM UMR 781, Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France.
Christophe
C
Delacourt
D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography