Introduction: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is common and can lead to neonatal emergency. Despite its burden, antenatal detection of this condition remains inaccurate.
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of fetal echocardiography and to design a scoring system for risk stratification of CoA in suspected cases.
Design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Population: About 140 fetuses referred for suspected CoA to our tertiary center in a 9-year period.
Methods: The following parameters were systematically obtained at fetal echocardiography: ventricular disproportion, great vessels asymmetry, transverse aortic arch hypoplasia, flow turbulence, and Z-scores of the ascending aorta and of the aortic isthmus. Associated anomalies were recorded, if present. When CoA was not confirmed at birth, neonates were followed up for 12 months to identify also a tardive onset of this condition.
Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the presence of COA after birth.
Results: 108 fetuses were eligible for the purpose of the study. CoA was confirmed postnatally in 55 neonates (50.9%). Arch hypoplasia yielded the highest correlation with CoA. The affected neonates presented also significantly lower Z scores of the ascending aorta and of the aortic isthmus. Earlier gestational age at referral was positively correlated with neonatal CoA. An odds ratio-based multiparametric model was designed to build a scoring system (AUC 0.89).
Conclusion: In our cohort, no single ultrasound parameter was sufficiently accurate to predict postnatal CoA. The scoring system permitted a better identification of the affected fetuses.
Keywords: Coarctation of the aorta; antenatal risk assessment; aortic arch; fetal echocardiography; scoring system.