Diastolic blood pressure increase is a risk indicator for pre-eclampsia

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Cardiovascular Health in Pregnancy
• Perinatal Medicine

Background:

• Previous research indicated magnesium supplementation reduces pregnancy-induced diastolic blood pressure increases.
• Early identification of pre-eclampsia remains a critical challenge in antenatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if increases in diastolic blood pressure can serve as an early marker for pre-eclampsia.
• To evaluate the predictive value of specific diastolic blood pressure thresholds and changes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of hospital records from 100 normal pregnancies and 109 pregnancies diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.
• Collection and analysis of blood pressure data from regular antenatal visits.

Main Results:

• Women who developed pre-eclampsia had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures at 12 weeks of gestation (p=0.046 and p=0.001, respectively).
• An increase in diastolic blood pressure of ≥15 mmHg was more common in women with pre-eclampsia, often preceding clinical diagnosis by 93%.

Conclusions:

• A baseline diastolic blood pressure of ≥80 mmHg combined with an increase of ≥15 mmHg shows potential for identifying women at risk of pre-eclampsia (92% sensitivity, 44% specificity).
• These criteria could be valuable for selecting participants in pre-eclampsia prevention or treatment trials.