Portal Vein Pulsatility Flow in Pregnancy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study is to investigate if portal vein pulsatility fraction can be measured in pregnancy and if it increases during the course of pregnancy as would be expected by the physiologic increase in blood volume that happens during pregnancy. Portal vein pulsatility fraction is measured in non-pregnant controls and in women in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Official Title
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Portal Vein Pulsatility Flow in Pregnancy - a Pilot Study

Conditions
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Pregnancy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: ultrasound


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Ability to give informed consent American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class I and II Singleton pregnancy during 1st, 2nd or 3rd trimester or healthy non-pregnant females of childbearing age as controls Exclusion Criteria: Inability to give informed consent Multiple gestation Significant co-morbidities (e.g. cardiac abnormalities, cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmias, severe asthma, renal insufficiency) High risk pregnancies (e.g. pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, HELLP, gestational diabetes) Body-Mass-Index (BMI) < 18kg/m2 or >40kg/m2

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 40 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| women in the 1st trimester of pregnancy.<br> | Other: ultrasound<br>* portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) measured with ultrasound<br>|
| women in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy.<br> | Other: ultrasound<br>* portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) measured with ultrasound<br>|
| women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.<br> | Other: ultrasound<br>* portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) measured with ultrasound<br>|
| non-pregnant women<br> | Other: ultrasound<br>* portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) measured with ultrasound<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) | Portal vein pulsatility fraction (percent) | single time-point at baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inferior vena cava diameter (mm) | Inferior vena cava diameter (mm) | single time-point at baseline | 
| Inferior vena cava collapsibility index (percent) | Inferior vena cava collapsibility index (percent) | single time-point at baseline | 
| Hepatic venous flow (cm/sec) | Hepatic venous flow (cm/sec) | single time-point at baseline | 
| Right atrial and ventricular dimensions (cm) | Right atrial and ventricular dimensions (cm) | single time-point at baseline | 
| Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) (mm) | Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) (mm) | single time-point at baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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portal vein pulsatility, physiologic volume overload