Peripheral arterial pulse wave analysis in women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
To compare peripheral pulse pressure waveforms in normal pregnancy, gestational hypertension (GH) and pre-eclampsia (PE).


METHODS
Comparative study.


METHODS
Tertiary referral teaching hospital.


METHODS
Women with hypertensive disease in pregnancy and matched normal pregnant controls.


METHODS
Women in the third trimester of pregnancy with newly developed PE (n= 27) or GH (n= 33) were studied by radial artery applanation tonometry. Values were compared with those for gestational age matched normal pregnant women (n= 39).


METHODS
Augmentation Index.


RESULTS
Hypertension was of equal severity in PE and GH. Central augmentation pressure and augmentation index, indicating vasoconstriction, were mildly elevated in GH, but markedly elevated in PE.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-invasive applanation tonometry discriminates among normal pregnancy, GH and PE, and may be useful to predict PE.
Spasojevic
Mica
M
Perinatal Research Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Smith
Simone A
SA
Morris
Jonathan M
JM
Gallery
Eileen D M
ED
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011674:Pulse; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology