# Cord blood cardiac markers and tissue doppler echocardiography findings in infants of diabetic mothers

## TL;DR

This study finds that infants of diabetic mothers show early signs of heart stress through echocardiography and blood markers.

## Contribution

The study introduces combined use of tissue Doppler imaging and cord blood biomarkers to detect subclinical cardiac stress in infants of diabetic mothers.

## Key findings

- Interventricular septum thickness and mid-septal TDI parameters were significantly altered in infants of diabetic mothers.
- NT-proBNP and IMA levels were elevated in infants of diabetic mothers, indicating subclinical cardiac stress.
- No correlation was found between TDI parameters and biomarker levels in the studied population.

## Abstract

Maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) significantly affects fetal cardiac and placental structure and function. This study aimed to assess structural and functional cardiac changes in infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) using echocardiographic data and cord blood cardiac biomarkers.

M-mode and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI) echocardiography along with cord blood cardiac markers were evaluated in 40 IDMs and 40 healthy term newborns. Cardiac biomarkers included troponin T (Trop-T), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA).

Among the diabetic mothers, 87.5% had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 12.5% had type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Interventricular septum (IVS) thickness was significantly greater in the IDM group. Of the IDMs, 32.5% had asymmetric septal hypertrophy. Mid-septal tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) parameters showed significantly altered velocities and time intervals. NT-proBNP and IMA levels were significantly elevated in the IDMs group, while Trop-T was not statistically different. No correlation was found between TDI parameters and biomarker levels.

Cardiac dysfunction and elevated cord blood biomarkers in IDMs reflect subclinical stress. These findings support the utility of TDI and biochemical markers for early cardiac assessment in IDMs. Larger studies are needed to validate the use of these markers for routine screening and to better understand their pathophysiological significance.