Table 7GRADE findings for umbilical arterial pH and base excess in babies with intrapartum tachycardia or bradycardia

Quality assessmentFetal heart rate tracingQuality
Number of studiesDesignRisk of biasInconsistencyIndirectnessImprecisionStage of labourNormalTachycardiaaMild bradycardiaaModerate or severe bradycardiaa
Umbilical cord artery pH (mean ± standard deviation)

1 study

(Honjo 2001)

CohortSerious1No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecision2nd stage

pH 7.31 ± 0.05

n = 236

pH 7.22 ± 0.11

p < 0.001b

n = 57

pH 7.25 ± 0.06

p < 0.01b

n = 11

pH 7.18 ± 0.06

p < 0.001b

n = 61

Moderate
Base excess

1 study

(Honjo 2001)

CohortSerious1No serious inconsistencyNo serious indirectnessNo serious imprecision2nd stage

BE 5.2 ± 2.8

n = 236

BE −9.2 ± 4.5

p < 0.001b

n = 57

BE −8.7 ± 4.4

p < 0.05b

n = 11

BE −10.2 ± 3.5

p < 0.001b

n = 61

Moderate

BE base excess

a

Baseline tachycardia and bradycardia were defined as:

  • Mild bradycardia: baseline FHR between 90 – 109 bpm for ≥10 minutes
  • Moderate to severe bradycardia: baseline FHR < 90 bpm for ≥10 minutes
  • Tachycardia: baseline FHR of 160 bpm for ≥10 minutes

b

p value when compared with normal FHR tracing

1

Unclear how and by whom data were analysed

From: Appendix I, GRADE tables

Cover of Addendum to intrapartum care: care for healthy women and babies
Addendum to intrapartum care: care for healthy women and babies.
Clinical Guideline, No. 190.1.
National Guideline Alliance (UK).
Copyright © National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2017.

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