Retinopathy in preeclampsia: association with birth weight and uric acid level.
OBJECTIVE
In a retrospective study of patients with preeclampsia and patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) who delivered at term, the association of retinopathy with various clinical and laboratory manifestations and fetal birth weight was evaluated.


METHODS
Medical records of patients with preeclampsia and patients with PIH who delivered at term between January 2003 and December 2004 were reviewed. Patients with preterm delivery, eclampsia, intrauterine fetal death, congenital defect in the fetus, and other systemic disorders were excluded. Parameters analyzed were retinopathy, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), fetal birth weight, and various biochemical parameters. Multivariable linear regression was used for statistical analysis. P < or = 0.05 was considered significant.


RESULTS
Forty patients were included in the preeclampsia group (study group) as well as in the PIH group (control group). Severity of retinopathy was found to be inversely related to fetal birth weight (P = 0.044) and positively related to serum uric acid level (P = 0.022) in the preeclampsia group. All other variables in the preeclampsia group including systolic BP (mean, 154.6 mmHg; P = 0.792) and diastolic BP (mean, 105.7 mmHg; P = 0.102) were found to have no significant association with retinopathy. In the PIH group, none of the parameters analyzed were significantly associated with ocular changes.


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of retinopathy in preeclampsia is directly related to the level of placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth retardation. The severity of retinopathy might be independent of systemic BP.
Gupta
Arvind
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India. drarvind_ophthal@yahoo.co.in
Kaliaperumal
Subashini
S
Setia
Sajita
S
Suchi
Smitha T
ST
Rao
Vasudev Anand
VA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D014527:Uric Acid