A small randomised trial of low-dose aspirin in women at high risk of pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if aspirin (ASA) therapy reduces the incidence of pre-eclampsia in women at high risk of this condition.


METHODS
Randomised clinical trial. We recruited pregnant women with gestational age at randomisation <14 weeks, who satisfied the following criteria: chronic hypertension, history of severe pre-eclampsia or eclampsia or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) or intrauterine foetal death. Nineteen women in the no-treatment group and 16 in the ASA group were successfully followed up.


RESULTS
The mean birthweight was higher in the ASA group than in the no-treatment group (2790 g (S.D. 340 g) versus 2616 g (S.D. 779 g)), but the difference was not statistically significant. We found no statistically significant differences between the groups in the proportion of infants with birthweight below 2500 g (13.3% versus 29.4%) and the number of cases with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH)/pre-eclampsia (31.3% versus 36.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
These limited data give some support to the potential favourable effect of early treatment with ASA in pregnant women at risk of PIH and IUGR.
Chiaffarino
Francesca
F
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milan, Italy.
Parazzini
Fabio
F
Paladini
Dario
D
Acaia
Barbara
B
Ossola
Wally
W
Marozio
Luca
L
Facchinetti
Fabio
F
Del Giudice
Antonio
A
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy; D008423:Maternal Age; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001241:Aspirin