Advances in prenatal screening have significantly improved the early detection of fetal anomalies and chromosomal abnormalities. Among these, first-trimester soft markers have emerged as valuable indicators of potential adverse outcomes. This review explores the clinical relevance of key markers—including increased nuchal translucency (NT), nasal bone hypoplasia, tricuspid regurgitation, aberrant right subclavian artery, and abnormal ductus venosus flow—and their associations with aneuploidy, structural malformations, and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. We emphasize the importance of interpreting soft markers within a comprehensive clinical context, rather than in isolation, and examine their underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and associated statistical risks. Particular attention is given to the integration of soft marker findings with advanced screening techniques, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing and maternal serum biochemistry, to improve diagnostic accuracy. In addition, we review current recommendations for clinical management, such as the use of follow-up diagnostic procedures like chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, and the role of multidisciplinary counselling in high-risk pregnancies. Future research should aim to validate novel soft markers and promote the standardization of screening protocols to enhance maternal and fetal outcomes.

Advances in prenatal screening have significantly improved the early detection of fetal anomalies and chromosomal abnormalities. Among these, first-trimester soft markers have emerged as valuable indicators of potential adverse outcomes. This review explores the clinical relevance of key markers—including increased nuchal translucency (NT), nasal bone hypoplasia, tricuspid regurgitation, aberrant right subclavian artery, and abnormal ductus venosus flow—and their associations with aneuploidy, structural malformations, and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. We emphasize the importance of interpreting soft markers within a comprehensive clinical context, rather than in isolation, and examine their underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and associated statistical risks. Particular attention is given to the integration of soft marker findings with advanced screening techniques, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing and maternal serum biochemistry, to improve diagnostic accuracy. In addition, we review current recommendations for clinical management, such as the use of follow-up diagnostic procedures like chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, and the role of multidisciplinary counselling in high-risk pregnancies. Future research should aim to validate novel soft markers and promote the standardization of screening protocols to enhance maternal and fetal outcomes.

Background: Dynamic parameters used for predicting fluid responsiveness require special equipment and are minimally invasive. Therefore, recent interest in the use of carotid artery ultrasound parameters, such as carotid corrected flow time (FTc) and peak velocity variation (ΔVpeak) has grown. Therefore, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the ability of carotid FTc and/or ΔVpeak to accurately predict fluid responsiveness. Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for articles evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of carotid FTc or ΔVpeak for predicting fluid responsiveness. Two independent authors performed the search and selected studies published until May 2022. The studies were assessed for the inclusion and exclusion criteria using Rayyan (Rayyan Systems Inc., 2022). Results: Ten studies (n=438) that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. Studies were divided into those assessing carotid FTc and those assessing carotid ΔVpeak. Five studies (six datasets) assessed FTc. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of carotid FTc were 0.76 and 0.88, respectively. The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve for carotid FTc had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9092, with a Q value of 0.8412. Seven studies calculated carotid ΔVpeak. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for ΔVpeak were 0.83 and 0.81, respectively. The SROC curve had an AUC of 0.8941 and a Q value of 0.8250. Conclusions Our meta-analysis showed that both carotid FTc and ΔVpeak are useful for predicting fluid responsiveness in anesthesia and critical care settings with good specificity and sensitivity.