title: Computerised analysis of antepartum foetal heart parameters: New reference ranges.
abstract: We selected 4012 cCTG records (one trace for each patient) performed in healthy pregnancies from 30th to 42nd gestational week using foetal heart rate (FHR), short-term variability (STV), long-term irregularity (LTI), Delta, approximate entropy (ApEn), spectral components as low frequency (LF), median frequency (MF), high frequency (HF) and LF/(HF + MF) ratio were analysed. Reference nomograms were created and sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of foetal compromise were calculated which were 90% and 89%, respectively. Changes of cCTG parameters according to gestational week were evaluated: FHR (r = -.65) and LF (r = -.87) showed a statistically significant reduction (p < .05) with gestational age. STV (r = .59), LTI (r = .69), Delta (r = .67), and MF (r = .88) showed a statistically significant increase (p < .05) with gestational age. In contrast, for ApEn (r = -.098), HF (r = .14) and LF/(HF + MF) ratio (r = -.47) a non-statistically significant change was found (p > .05). The identification of reference ranges for cCTG indexes in according to gestational age could provide a more objective examination of cCTG trace.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Natascia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Annunziata
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca Giovanna
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Lieto
authors.affiliation: b Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magenes
authors.affiliation: c Department of Electronic, Information and Bioengineering , Politecnico of Milano , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Signorini
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrical-Gynaecological, Urological Science and Reproductive Medicine , Federico II University , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campanile
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Foetal Medicine Centre, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arduini
mesh_terms: D015148:Cardiotocography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000175:diagnosis; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Computerised cardiotocography; antepartum foetal monitoring; foetal heart rate; gestational age; reference ranges