Cord blood B-type natriuretic peptide levels in placental insufficiency: correlation with fetal Doppler and pH at birth

ObjectiveTo examine the correlation of cardiac B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in umbilical cord blood at birth with fetal Doppler parameters and pH at birth.Study designProspective cross-sectional study with the following inclusion criteria: women with a singleton pregnancy, placental insufficiency characterized by increased pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical artery (UA), intact membranes, and absence of fetal abnormalities. The exclusion criteria kept out cases of newborns with postnatal diagnosis of abnormality and cases in which the blood analysis was not performed. The Doppler parameters used were the UA PI, middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI, cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), and ductus venosus (DV) PI for veins (PIV), all converted into zeta scores. Blood samples were obtained from the umbilical cord immediately after delivery to measure the pH of the UA and the BNP.ResultsThirty-two pregnancies with placental insufficiency were included, 21 (65%) with positive diastolic flow and 11 (35%) with absent or reversed end diastolic flow in the UA. The concentration of BNP correlated significantly with the UA PI z-score (rho = 0.43, P = 0.016), the CPR z-score (rho = −0.35, P = 0.048), the DV PIV z-score (rho = 0.61, P < 0.001), pH at birth (rho = −0.39, P = 0.031), and gestational age (rho = −0.51, P = 0.003). In the multiple regression analysis, antenatal parameters were included; the DV PIV z-score (P = 0.008) was found to be an independent parameter correlating with BNP at birth. Correlation between BNP and the DV PIV z-score was borne out by the regression equation Log[BNP] = 2.34 + 0.13*DV (F = 18.8, P < 0.001). Correlation between BNP and pH at birth was confirmed by the regression equation Log[BNP] = 21.36–2.62*pH (F = 7.69, P = 0.01).ConclusionThe results suggest that fetal cardiac dysfunction identified by BNP concentrations at birth correlated independently with changes in DV PIV and correlated negatively with pH values at birth.