Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32676857›Full record

ArticleArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2020

Characterizing placental stiffness using ultrasound shear-wave elastography in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies.

Michail Spiliopoulos, Che-Ying Kuo, Avinash Eranki, Marni Jacobs, Christopher T Rossi, Sara N Iqbal, John P Fisher, Melissa H Fries, Peter C W Kim

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 44 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Overview of Diagnostic Ultrasound Safety: Review for Research and Institutional Review Boards.Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine · 2026
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Michail Spiliopoulos *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., USA. spilias112@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1277-7477
Che-Ying Kuo *Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Avinash Eranki *Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children's National Health System, Washington, D.C., USA.
Marni JacobsClinical and Translational Science Institute at Children's National, Children's National Health System, Washington, D.C., USA.
Christopher T RossiDepartment of Pathology, Children's National Health System, Washington, D.C., USA.
Sara N IqbalDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., USA.
John P FisherFischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Melissa H FriesDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., USA.
Peter C W KimSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.
Children's National · USMedStar Washington Hospital Center · USGeorge Washington University · USUniversity of Maryland, College Park · US

Funding

Training and Dissemination CoreP41EB023833 · NIBIB · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · PI FISHER, JOHN P · 2017 to 2021
$6.2M
NIBIB NIH HHS P41 EB023833
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo measure the stiffness of the placenta in healthy and preeclamptic patients in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy using ultrasound shear-wave elastography (SWE). We also aimed to evaluate the effect of age, gestational age, gravidity, parity and body mass index (BMI) on placental stiffness and a possible correlation of stiffness with perinatal outcomes.

methodsIn a case-control study, we recruited a total of 47 singleton pregnancies in the second and third trimesters of which 24 were healthy and 23 were diagnosed with preeclampsia. In vivo placental stiffness was measured once at the time of recruitment for each patient. Pregnancies with posterior placentas, multiple gestation, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, diabetes, autoimmune disease, fetal growth restriction and congenital anomalies were excluded.

resultsThe mean placental stiffness was significantly higher in preeclamptic pregnancies compared to controls in the third trimester (difference of means = 16.8; 95% CI (9.0, 24.5); P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in placental stiffness between the two groups in the second trimester or between the severe preeclampsia and preeclampsia without severe features groups (difference of means = 9.86; 95% CI (-5.95, 25.7); P ≥ 0.05). Peripheral regions of the placenta were significantly stiffer than central regions in the preeclamptic group (difference of means = 10.67; 95% CI (0.07, 21.27); P < 0.05), which was not observed in the control group (difference of means = 0.55; 95% CI (- 5.25, 6.35); P > 0.05). We did not identify a correlation of placental stiffness with gestational age, maternal age, gravidity or parity. However, there was a statistically significant correlation with BMI (P < 0.05). In addition, pregnancies with higher placental stiffness during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters had significantly reduced birth weight (2890 ± 176 vs. 2420 ± 219 g) and earlier GA (37.8 ± 0.84 vs. 34.3 ± 0.98 weeks) at delivery (P < 0.05).

conclusionCompared to healthy pregnancies, placentas of preeclamptic pregnancies are stiffer and more heterogeneous. Placental stiffness is not affected by gestational age or the severity of preeclampsia but there is a correlation with higher BMI and poor perinatal outcomes.

Indexed as

AdultBody Mass IndexCase-Control StudiesElasticity Imaging TechniquesFemaleGestational AgeHumansInfant, NewbornMaternal AgeParityPlacentaPre-EclampsiaPregnancyPregnancy Trimester, SecondPregnancy Trimester, ThirdUltrasonographyIn vivoPlacentaPreeclampsiaShear-wave elastographyUltrasound

Identifiers

PMID32676857
PMCPMC7646518
OpenAlexW3042910845

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.