Browsing by Author "Belović, Dušica Kocijančić (57194538164)"

Background/Aim. Doppler sonography of fetal middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) can be used to predict fetal anemia and the need for in utero intravascular transfusion (IUIT) in red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunisation pregnancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether measurement of MCA-PSV in fetuses that had undergone one to three transfusions is a good diagnostic tool for fetal anemia. Methods. Study included 36 pregnancies treated due to RBC alloimmunisation in our tertiary referral center during the 5-year period (2012–2017). We measured MCA-PSV and hematocrit (Hct) in all patients. In seven pregnancies there was a need to perform sequential IUITs for correction of fetal anemia. In these patients we compared MCA-PSV and Hct values before and after every transfusion. Results. Hct and MCA-PSV correlated negatively before transfusion therapy (p = 0.035) and after the second transfusion (p = 0.046). Contrary, after the first (p = 0.954), before the second (p = 0.738), as well as before (p = 0.092) and after (p = 0,741) the third transfusions there were no significant correlations between Hct and MCA-PSV values. Hct values before and after transfusions were positively associated (p = 0.001), but MCA-PSV were not (p = 0.296). According to performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis the cut-off point of MCA-PSV for investigated patients was 1.22 multiples of its median (MoM). Conclusion. There is a reduction in MCA-PSV accuracy for assessing fetal anemia in previously transfused fetuses. Larger studies are needed to explain the reasons for these findings and potentially set new referral values of MCA-PSV for better diagnostics of fetal anemia. © 2020 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Background/Aim. Atrioventricular nodal (AV) reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is the most common form of supraventricular tachycardia. Treatment of choice is a catheter-ablation of the slow pathway of the AV node. The aim of the study was to present the outcomes of this procedure after ten years of follow-up. Methods. The catheter-ablation procedure was performed in 92 patients (30 men and 62 women, mean age 52.0 ± 13.3 years, range 19 to 76 years) with confirmed AVNRT during the electrophysiological examination, from 2007 to 2009. Out of these, 64 patients were followed-up for ten years by inviting them to clinical examinations regularly. The occurrence of AV block, arrhythmia and the use of antyarrhythmic drugs were the main outcomes of the ten-year follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify significant predictors of arrhythmia after a follow-up period. Results. The primary success of intervention was achieved in 91 (98.9%) patients. Third-degree AV block was registered in 1 (1.1%) patient after the intervention, which required the implantation of a pacemaker. After ten years of follow-up, AVNRT relapses were not registered. A total of 7 out of 64 (10.9%) patients died during the follow-up period, mostly due to non-cardiac causes. After ten years of follow-up, first-degree AV block was registered in six (10.5%) patients, whereas other arrhythmias were observed in 17 (29.8%) patients such as atrial fibrillation or flutter, atrial premature beats and sinus tachycardia. The number of antiarrhythmic drugs were reduced from 2.1 ± 1.2 at baseline to 0.5 ± 0.6 during follow-up, mostly beta-blockers, propafenone and amiodarone, and 33 (57.9%) patients were no longer using anti-arrhythmic therapy. Logistic regression identified participant’s age above 55 years at baseline and re-intervention performed after the initial catheter-ablation as significant predictors of arrhythmia after a 10-year follow-up, independent from gender and arterial hypertension at baseline. Conclusion. The catheter-ablation of AVNRT represents a successful and safe procedure, from the perspective of ten-year follow-up. © 2020 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.