title: Pre-eclampsia as a multi-system disease.
abstract: Pre-eclampsia cannot be defined precisely by clinical signs which are just readily detectable secondary features of the primary abnormality within the uterus. The multisystem sequelae could be thought of as a secondary maternal adaptation, with the large variation in clinical presentation reflecting variable susceptibility of maternal target organs. The changes may be characteristic of pre-eclampsia but are not specific and therefore reflect a process rather than a discrete disease entity. Because the pathogenesis is so controversial it is not surprising that views on management differ so much.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Reproduction Group, Princess Mary Maternity Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy