USCOM

BACKGROUND: The functional maternal-fetal hemodynamic unit includes fetal umbilical vein flow and maternal peripheral vascular resistance. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the relationships between maternal and fetal hemodynamics in a population with suspected fetal growth restriction. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective study of normotensive pregnancies referred to our outpatient clinic for a suspected fetal growth restriction. We performed a maternal hemodynamics measurement, using a non-invasive device (USCOM-1A®), and a fetal ultrasound evaluation to assess fetal biometry and velocimetry Doppler parameters...

Hypertensive disorders are quite common, complicating about 10% of pregnancies, while preeclampsia occurs in 2-8% of cases. The most recognized etiopathogenetic factor for the development of preeclampsia is deficient remodeling of the spiral arteries during trophoblastic invasion. Recently, some authors speculated about the "cardiovascular origin of preeclampsia"; in particular, they postulate that placental dysfunction is not the primum movens of preeclampsia, but it could be caused by a failure of the maternal cardiovascular system to adapt to the pregnancy itself...

PURPOSE: To analyze the mechanisms involved in the fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities after the epidural analgesia in labor. METHODS: A prospective unblinded single-center observational study on 55 term singleton pregnant women with spontaneous labor. All women recruited underwent serial bedside measurements of the main hemodynamic parameters using a non-invasive ultrasound system (USCOM-1A). Total vascular resistances (TVR), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and arterial blood pressure were measured before epidural administration (T0), after 5 min 5 (T1) from epidural bolus and at the end of the first stage of labor (T2)...

Introduction: The number of pregnancies obtained through in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques are increasing, and only few studies have investigated hemodynamic variations in women undergoing IVF techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic parameters in women undergoing IVF, to assess a possible correlation between hemodynamics and embryo implantation. Methods: 45 normotensive non-obese women, age ≤ 43 years, with idiopathic or tubal infertility, referred to the Reproductive Physiopathology and Andrology Unit, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, during the period 2020/2021, underwent IVF techniques...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the hemodynamic differences in women with pPROM versus physiological pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective case control study of 15 patients with pPROM and 45 controls. Patients and controls were submitted at enrollment to a non-invasive hemodynamic evaluation with UltraSonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM), and to blood tests to check white blood cells count and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. We followed pPROM patients until delivery noting fetal/neonatal and maternal unfavorable outcomes (maternal fever, APGAR 1' and 5'< 7, stillbirth)...

RATIONAL AND OBJECTIVES: Non-invasive cardiac output (CO) measurements are essential during the immediate post-operative course of young, congenital heart repaired patients. The use of the Ultrasonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM) in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) is increasing. The literature on accuracy of USCOM in young, critically ill, mechanically ventilated, hemodynamically supported patients is scarce. We aimed to assess agreement between the USCOM device and echocardiography for measurements of CO in this population...

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have shown that septic shock survivors had a normal cardiac index (CI) and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI). However, this feature seems to be questionable in other-caused shock, since several factors are associated with the hemodynamic profile. This study aims to describe hemodynamic profiles (preload, inotropy, afterload, stroke volume, and cardiac output) after fluid resuscitation and vasoactive therapy in children with shock. METHODS: Children aged 1 month to 18 years old with shock conditions were included in this study...

Introduction: High-altitude (HA) exposure affects heart rate variability (HRV) and has been inconsistently linked to acute mountain sickness (AMS). The influence of increasing HA exposure on ultra-short HRV and its relationship to gold standard HRV measures at HA has not been examined. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of adults aged ≥ 18 years undertaking a HA trek in the Dhaulagiri region of the Himalayas. Cardiac inter-beat-intervals were obtained from a 10-s recording of supra-systolic blood pressure (Uscom BP+ device) immediately followed by 300 s single lead ECG recording (CheckMyHeart device)...

We evaluate the validity of cardiac index (CI) measurements utilizing the Ultrasonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM), a non-invasive Doppler ultrasound device, by comparing measurements to cardiac catheterization-derived CI measurements in patients with single-ventricle physiology. USCOM measurements were repeated three times for each patient at the beginning of a cardiac catheterization procedure for twenty-six patients undergoing elective pre-Glenn or pre-Fontan catheterization. CI was measured by USCOM and was calculated from cardiac catheterization data using Fick's method...

BACKGROUND: Cardiorespiratory instability occurs very often in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants undergoing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation during the early postoperative period. This study aimed to investigate ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) as a bedside tool by evaluating the hemodynamic changes in preterm infants following PDA ligation and assessing factors that may influence these changes. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective observational study at a third-level neonatal intensive care unit...

BACKGROUND: Mild elevation of serum amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) is associated with myocardial dysfunction. A significantly lower Smith-Madigan inotropic index (SMII) has been shown to accurately represent cardiac contractility among heart failure subjects. We aim to monitor the effect of fluid resuscitation on cardiac function among paediatric patients by measuring serum NT-pro-BNP and SMII. METHODS: This is an observational study on 70 paediatric shock patients...

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to compare maternal hemodynamic adaptations in gestational diabetes (GDM) versus healthy pregnancies. METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted, comparing 69 singleton pregnancies with GDM and 128 controls, recruited between September 2018 and April 2019 in Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy. Hemodynamic assessment by UltraSonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM) was performed in both groups in four gestational age intervals: 17-20 weeks (only in early GDM cases), 26-30 weeks, 32-35 weeks and 36-39 weeks...

INTRODUCTION: Non-invasive assessment of maternal cardiovascular potential and kinetic energy can be used to derive the potential to kinetic energy ratio (PKR) and inotropy index (SMII). The balance of potential to kinetic cardiovascular energy is a measure of the balance between blood pressure and blood flow. The aim of this study is to evaluate PKR and SMII in pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders (HDP) and/or small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth. METHODS: This was a prospective study which enrolled women with singleton pregnancies between 10 to 41 weeks' gestation...

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients survive or are living with cancer. Anticancer treatments frequently have cutaneous adverse events (cAEs) that may severely impact patients' quality of life and interrupt anticancer treatment. The US Cutaneous Oncodermatology Management (USCOM) project aims to improve cancer patients' and survivors' quality of life by offering tools for preventing and managing cAEs. METHODS: An algorithm was designed to reduce the incidence of cAEs, treat cAEs, and maintain healthy skin using general measures and over-the-counter agents to support all healthcare providers treating oncology patients, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and advanced providers...

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients survive or are living with cancer. Anticancer treatments frequently have cutaneous adverse events (cAEs) that may severely impact patients' quality of life and interrupt anticancer treatment. The US Cutaneous Oncodermatology Management (USCOM) project aims to improve cancer patients' and survivors' quality of life by offering tools for preventing and managing cAEs. METHODS: An algorithm was designed to reduce the incidence of cAEs, treat cAEs, and maintain healthy skin using general measures and over-the-counter agents to support all healthcare providers treating oncology patients, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and advanced providers...

Improved atrial fibrillation (AF) screening methods are required. We detected AF with pulse rate variability (PRV) parameters using a blood pressure device (BP+; Uscom, Sydney, Australia) and with a Kardia Mobile Cardiac Monitor (KMCM; AliveCor, Mountain View, CA). In 421 primary care patients (mean (range) age: 72 (31-99) years), we diagnosed AF (n = 133) from 12-lead electrocardiogram recordings, and performed PRV and KMCM measurements. PRV parameters detected AF with area under curve (AUC) values of up to 0...

Background: Anti-hypertensive drugs are widely used to control blood pressure, yet their effects on haemodynamics, especially in Chinese populations, and the potential for non-invasive methods to monitor these changes, are poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the early and late effects of bisoprolol treatment on blood pressure, cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), systematic vascular resistance (SVR), and inotropy measured in Chinese patients with hypertension...

OBJECTIVE: To explore the strength of association and the diagnostic accuracy of maternal hemodynamic parameters detected noninvasively in predicting an adverse perinatal outcome in labor. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of singleton women undergoing antepartum care at 37-39 weeks of gestation. A noninvasive ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM®) was used for cardiovascular assessment. The study outcome was a composite score of adverse perinatal outcome, which included at least one of the following variables: Cesarean or instrumental delivery for abnormal fetal heart monitoring, umbilical artery pH <7...

OBJECTIVES: To improve identification of fetal growth restriction (FGR) by means of umbilical venous flow (QUV) and maternal hemodynamics, including systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and cardiac output (CO), in order to distinguish between FGR and SGA. METHODS: We enrolled 68 pregnancies (36 SGA, 8 early FGR and 24 late FGR) who underwent a complete fetal hemodynamic examination including QUV and a noninvasive maternal hemodynamics assessment by means of USCOM...

This study determined the accuracy and validity for the haemodynamic parameters of haemodynamically stable neonates after postnatal circulatory adaptation using the ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) in comparison with echocardiography. We conducted a prospective, observational study of neonates born at 23-41 weeks of gestation. They all underwent both echocardiography and USCOM assessments for comparison purposes. The 127 neonates were examined at the median of postmenstrual age of 35 weeks and there was a very high correlation between the cardiac output measurements provided by both methods...