Investigating the risk of hypertension shortly after pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
Women with a history of preeclampsia are at increased risk for long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study assessed whether a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia is associated with an increased prevalence of maternal hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors shortly after delivery.


METHODS
Seventy-nine cases and 140 controls that had been enrolled in a prospective case-control study were evaluated in this planned follow-up analysis. The presence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were assessed by standardized questionnaire 6-13 months after delivery.


RESULTS
Women with preeclampsia were significantly more likely than controls to have hypertension (adjusted odds ratio, 13.92; 95% CI, 5.17-37.4; P < .001) after adjusting for confounders. Women with preterm preeclampsia also had an increased odds of hypertension (adjusted odds ratio, 18.31; 95% CI, 5.04-66.46; P < .001) compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, may provide opportunities to identify women at risk for cardiovascular morbidity years before the onset of disease, allowing a window for prevention and intervention.
Edlow
Andrea G
AG
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Srinivas
Sindhu K
SK
Elovitz
Michal A
MA
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult