Relationship between ophthalmic artery Doppler and maternal cardiovascular function

Area of Science:

• Maternal-fetal medicine
• Cardiovascular physiology
• Diagnostic ultrasound

Background:

• Elevated ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio in mid-gestation is a predictor of pre-eclampsia (PE).
• Understanding the relationship between PSV ratio and maternal cardiovascular function is crucial for early PE detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the ophthalmic artery PSV ratio and maternal cardiovascular function in an unselected population.
• To explore factors influencing ophthalmic artery Doppler assessment in relation to cardiovascular parameters.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 2853 pregnancies at 19-23 weeks' gestation.
• Assessed ophthalmic artery flow velocity waveforms and nine maternal cardiovascular indices.
• Used regression analysis to examine associations between PSV ratio and cardiovascular indices, adjusting for maternal characteristics.

Main Results:

• Weak associations were found between PSV ratio and most cardiovascular indices in the general population.
• A moderate association (r=0.308) was observed between PSV ratio and left ventricular mass indexed for body surface area in the PE subgroup.
• 76 (2.7%) pregnancies developed PE.

Conclusions:

• Ophthalmic artery PSV ratio assessment provides insights into peripheral vascular status.
• Increased PSV ratio in women who develop PE is linked to increased afterload and left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Findings support the utility of ophthalmic artery Doppler in evaluating cardiovascular changes associated with PE risk.