Maternal asthma and risk of preeclampsia: a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the associations between asthma characteristics and the risk of preeclampsia.


METHODS
In this case-control study, asthma history among 286 preeclampsia cases and 470 normotensive controls in Seattle was assessed by postpartum interview and medical record abstraction. OR and 95% CI were estimated using logistic regression. The sample size was adequate to detect unadjusted asthma history with ORs of > or =1.6 at a power of 80%.


RESULTS
After adjustment, women with a history of prepregnancy asthma diagnosis were not at increased preeclampsia risk (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.58-1.52). Women experiencing asthma symptoms during pregnancy were more likely than pregnant nonasthmatics to have preeclampsia (OR 2.20, 95% CI 0.79-6.10). Those with long-term pre-pregnancy asthma and symptoms during pregnancy were at particularly increased risk (OR 9.09, 95% CI 1.02-81.6). Point estimates were generally higher after restriction to women withfull-term deliveries.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis suggests that asthmatics, particularly those who are symptomatic during pregnancy, may be at higher risk of developing preeclampsia.
Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98122, USA. clb3@u.washington.edu
Carole B
CB
Rudra
Michelle A
MA
Williams
Ihunnaya O
IO
Frederick
David A
DA
Luthy
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index