The Evaluation of Pulsed and Tissue Doppler-derived Myocardial Performance (Tei) Indices in Fetuses with Maternal Antibodies to Intracellular Ribonucleoproteins

Introduction: This study aimed to compare normal fetuses and the fetuses of women with positive anti- SSA-Ro and SS-La antibodies in terms of the changes in pulsed Doppler (PD) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-derived myocardial performance (Tei) indices. Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated 11 fetuses with positive maternal antibodies for SSARo and SSB-La and compared them with 48 normal fetuses in the control group. The mean gestational age in the maternal antibody-positive group and the control group was 25.0±5.5 and 27.5±6.5 weeks, respectively (P=0.310), and the mean maternal age was 26.0±3.5 and 27.0±4.5 years, respectively (P=0.292). In addition, PD and TDI Tei indices of the mitral and tricuspid valves were measured in both study groups. Results: The mean PD Tei index of the mitral valves in the antibody-positive group and the control group was 0.51±0.11 and 0.59±0.05, respectively (P=0.586). As for the tricuspid valves, the indices were 0.53±0.12 and 0.53±0.12 in the antibody-positive group and the control group, respectively (P=0.876). The mean TDIderived Tei indices of the mitral and tricuspid valves in the antibody-positive group and the control group were 0.58±0.05 versus 0.55±0.09 (P=0.321), and 0.56±0.05versus 0.55±0.08 (P=0.861), respectively. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of PD and TDI Tei indices of the mitral or tricuspid valves. In other words, these indices did not trigger any global dysfunction in the fetuses of the women with positive antibodies for SSA-Ro and SSB-La. Therefore, PD or TDI Tei indices in the right or left side of the heart could not be suitable indicators of early fetal cardiac involvement in fetuses with no evidence of carditis