A Study of Cardiovascular Hemodynamics in Preeclamptic and Normotensive Pregnancies and its Association with Maternal...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Obstetrics
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Preeclampsia (PE) causes significant maternal cardiac remodeling, including increased afterload, end-systolic pressure, and reduced left ventricular emptying.
• Both systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunction occur in preeclampsia, with diastolic dysfunction often preceding systolic dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess cardiovascular hemodynamic functions in normotensive and preeclamptic women.
• To investigate the association between echocardiographic findings and maternal outcomes in preeclampsia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 158 women (79 with PE, 79 normotensive controls).
• Echocardiography was performed on all participants to evaluate cardiac geometry and function.
• Data collected over one year at a tertiary healthcare center.

Main Results:

• Preeclamptic women showed higher left ventricular end-systolic volume, end-diastolic volume, systolic mass, diastolic diameter, systolic diameter, E wave, and A wave compared to normotensive controls.
• Ejection fraction and E/A ratio were significantly lower in preeclamptic women.
• Abnormal echocardiographic findings correlated with adverse maternal outcomes like pulmonary edema, cardiomyopathy, abruptio placentae, eclampsia, acute kidney injury, and HELLP syndrome.

Conclusions:

• Preeclampsia is associated with significant alterations in maternal cardiac geometry and function, including impaired systolic and diastolic performance.
• Echocardiographic abnormalities in preeclampsia are linked to a higher incidence of severe maternal morbidity and mortality.
• Cardiovascular assessment via echocardiography is crucial for identifying high-risk pregnancies and predicting adverse outcomes in preeclampsia.