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Smaller fetal thymuses in pre‐eclampsia: a prospective cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
Mohamed N.,
Eviston D. P.,
Quinton A. E.,
Benzie R. J.,
Kirby A. C.,
Peek M. J.,
Nanan R. K.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.8953
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , eclampsia , gestational age , obstetrics , prospective cohort study , pregnancy , fetal weight , gestation , gynecology , genetics , biology
Objective To determine whether the thymus is smaller in fetuses of pre‐eclamptic mothers than in those of normal controls. Methods This was a cross‐sectional, prospective, comparative study of sonographically determined fetal thymus measurements in 39 pregnancies with pre‐eclampsia and 70 healthy pregnancies. Results Both the diameter and the perimeter of the fetal thymus were smaller in pregnancies with pre‐eclampsia than in healthy controls. The means of the thymus diameters were 28.6 ± 5.9 and 32.9 ± 4.5 mm and of thymus perimeters 80.9 ± 16.5 and 93.1 ± 16.6 mm for pre‐eclamptic and healthy pregnancies, respectively ( P < 0.001). General linear models showed that smaller fetal thymuses in pre‐eclampsia were independent of gestational age, estimated fetal weight, small for gestational age status and antenatal steroid use. Conclusions Pre‐eclampsia is associated with smaller fetal thymuses. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.