Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26720753

Fetal Pediatr Pathol. 2016;35(1):10-20. doi: 10.3109/15513815.2015.1122125. Epub 2015 Dec 31.
Cardiac Adaptation to Severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.
Pelizzo G1, Bussani R2, ZandonÃ* L2, Custrin A2, Bellieni CV3, De Silvestri A4, Calcaterra V5.
Author information

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Prenatal heart adaptations to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) could help define postnatal outcome.
METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed post-mortem tissues from fetuses with severe CDH (n = 7). Histology and immunohistochemical distribution of desmin, muscle actin [HHF35], endothelin-1 [ET-1] and TGF-β were evaluated.
RESULTS:
In the atrium, desmin, HHF35, ET-1, TGF-β were found expressed only in preterm CDH. Dishomogeneous ventricular distribution of cardiac growth factors were detected in term CDH. The cardiomyocyte nucleus/cytoplasmatic ratio in CDH was higher compared with controls (p = 0.01). Small intramyocardial artery density and vascular wall thickness was increased in CDH compared with controls (p = 0.03 and p < 0.01). In comparison with the ventricles, the interventricular septum showed a greater vessel density (p = 0.01) and a greater vascular wall thickness, particularly compared with the CDH right ventricle (p = 0.02).
CONCLUSION:
Left ventricle immaturity seems to be a cardiac adaptive response of severe CDH in utero.
KEYWORDS:
congenital diaphragmatic hernia; fetal; growth; heart; remodeling
PMID: 26720753 [PubMed - in process]