Circadian patterns of heart rate variability in fetal sheep after hypoxia-ischaemia : A biomarker of evolving brain injury

© 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society..

Hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) before birth is a key risk factor for stillbirth and severe neurodevelopmental disability in survivors, including cerebral palsy, although there are no reliable biomarkers to detect at risk fetuses that may have suffered a transient period of severe HI. We investigated time and frequency domain measures of fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) for 3 weeks after HI in preterm fetal sheep at 0.7 gestation (equivalent to preterm humans) until 0.8 gestation (equivalent to term humans). We have previously shown that this is associated with delayed development of severe white and grey matter injury, including cystic white matter injury (WMI) resembling that observed in human preterm infants. HI was associated with suppression of time and frequency domain measures of FHRV and reduced their circadian rhythmicity during the first 3 days of recovery. By contrast, circadian rhythms of multiple measures of FHRV were exaggerated over the final 2 weeks of recovery, mediated by a greater reduction in FHRV during the morning nadir, but no change in the evening peak. These data suggest that the time of day at which FHRV measurements are taken affects their diagnostic utility. We further propose that circadian changes in FHRV may be a low-cost, easily applied biomarker of antenatal HI and evolving brain injury. KEY POINTS: Hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) before birth is a key risk factor for stillbirth and probably for disability in survivors, although there are no reliable biomarkers for antenatal brain injury. In preterm fetal sheep, acute HI that is known to lead to delayed development of severe white and grey matter injury over 3 weeks, was associated with early suppression of multiple time and frequency domain measures of fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) and loss of their circadian rhythms during the first 3 days after HI. Over the final 2 weeks of recovery after HI, exaggerated circadian rhythms of frequency domain FHRV measures were observed. The morning nadirs were lower with no change in the evening peak of FHRV. Circadian changes in FHRV may be a low-cost, easily applied biomarker of antenatal HI and evolving brain injury.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - year:2023

Enthalten in:

The Journal of physiology - (2023) vom: 11. Juli

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Lear, Christopher A [VerfasserIn]
Maeda, Yoshiki [VerfasserIn]
King, Victoria J [VerfasserIn]
Dhillon, Simerdeep K [VerfasserIn]
Beacom, Michael J [VerfasserIn]
Gunning, Mark I [VerfasserIn]
Lear, Benjamin A [VerfasserIn]
Davidson, Joanne O [VerfasserIn]
Stone, Peter R [VerfasserIn]
Ikeda, Tomoaki [VerfasserIn]
Gunn, Alistair J [VerfasserIn]
Bennet, Laura [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Biomarker
Fetal heart rate variability
Fetus
Hypoxia-ischaemia
Journal Article
Preterm

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 11.07.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status Publisher

doi:

10.1113/JP284560

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM359339131