Recurrent pre-eclampsia in women with metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume: a retrospective cohort study

To determine the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia in women with a history of pre-eclampsia with both metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume postpartum, as compared with women without either entity.

Retrospective cohort study.

Three tertiary referral hospitals in the Netherlands.

Women with a history of pre-eclampsia.

In 196 women with a history of pre-eclampsia we determined the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome using the World Health Organization criteria and measured plasma volume with the (125) I-human serum albumin indicator dilution technique. We compared the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia in four groups, classified according to presence or absence of metabolic syndrome and low or normal plasma volume, calculating odds ratios (OR), adjusted for confounders.

Recurrence of pre-eclampsia in the subsequent pregnancy.

The prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia was 12% (12/99) in women without metabolic syndrome with normal plasma volume, versus 47% (8/17) in women with both metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume: OR 6.44 (95% CI 2.09-19.90), adjusted OR 7.90 (95% CI 2.30-27.16). Recurrent pre-eclampsia was present in 44% (10/23) and 25% (14/57) of women with isolated metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume, respectively.

In the concomitant presence of metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume, the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia was nearly 50%, which is four times as high as the prevalence in women without either entity.

Metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume raise the risk of recurrent pre-eclampsia to nearly 50%.