title: Second trimester cardiac output and its predictive value for preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To predict women at risk of preeclampsia in the second trimester by the assessment of maternal cardiac output (CO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2001 to November 2003, we carried out a cross-sectional, prospective, hospital-base study in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Cardiac output was measured in 102 normotensive women at gestational age 19-25 weeks by Doppler echocardiography. Patients with CO >7.4 L/min were considered high risk group (Group 1) and those with CO < or =7.4 L/min were in Group II. They were followed-up until delivery and the incidence of preeclampsia was determined in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty percent (6/30) of patient in Group 1, and 1.4% of patients in group II developed preeclampsia (p < 0.003). A cut off point of 7.34% L/min was chosen for prediction of preeclampsia that showed 85.7% sensitivity, 74.2% specificity with a negative predictive value of 98% and positive predictive value of 20%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac out put is significantly elevated in preclinical state of preeclampsia. Echocardiography is a non-invasive method to evaluate the maternal homodynamic during the second trimester and can help to identify high-risk patient before the development of preeclampsia, thereby it may improve the outcome of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cardiology Section, University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Talieh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kazerooni
authors.forename: Shahdad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khosropananh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002302:Cardiac Output; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014463:Ultrasonography