Persistent abnormalities in plasma volume and renal hemodynamics in patients with a history of preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to test the hypothesis that women with a recent history of preeclampsia have abnormalities in renal hemodynamics and volume status.


METHODS
We studied a group of 26 primiparous women with history of preeclampsia and a group of 12 parous women with a history of uneventful pregnancies (control group). At least 4 months post partum we compared the following variables between these groups: effective renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, plasma volume, plasma concentration of active renin, plasma concentration of angiotensin II, plasma concentration of aldosterone, and plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide.


RESULTS
Both plasma volume and plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide were lower in the formerly preeclamptic group. Compared with the control subjects, the formerly preeclamptic group also had a lower effective renal plasma flow, a higher filtration fraction, and a higher renal vascular resistance. Intergroup differences in plasma concentration of active renin, plasma concentration of angiotensin II and plasma concentration of aldosterone were small and inconsistent.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with history of preeclampsia are relatively hypovolemic and tend to have lower effective renal plasma flow and higher renal vascular resistance and filtration fraction than do control subjects. These findings support the hypothesis that otherwise healthy women with a history of preeclampsia show abnormalities in their volume status and renal hemodynamics, irrespective of their blood pressure.
van Beek
E
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Ekhart
T H
TH
Schiffers
P M
PM
van Eyck
J
J
Peeters
L L
LL
de Leeuw
P W
PW
D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D010953:Plasma Volume / Q000502:physiology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology
D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor