title: Characteristics of heart, arteries, and veins in low and high cardiac output preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of non-invasive measurements of maternal cardiac output in relation to birth weight percentile and cardiovascular physiology in preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cohort of 62 women with preeclampsia, impedance cardiography was used to measure cardiac output and to evaluate heart and arteries. Venous characteristics were assessed by combined electrocardiogram-Doppler ultrasonography. Statistical differences were evaluated by Mann-Whitney U-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac output correlated with birth weight percentile (P=.002), with more small for gestational age newborns in low cardiac output preeclampsia (<7.5L/min) than in high cardiac output preeclampsia (≥8.9L/min) (12/29 vs. 2/16, P=.044). This was associated with lower aortic flow indices and shorter venous pulse transit times in low than in high cardiac output preeclampsia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-invasive impedance cardiography measurements of maternal cardiac output correlate with birth weight percentile and are associated with different functionality of heart, arteries, and veins in low and high cardiac output preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium. kathleen.tomsin@ZOL.be
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomsin
authors.forename: Tinne
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mesens
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molenberghs
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gyselaers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002302:Cardiac Output; D016534:Cardiac Output, High / Q000503:physiopathology; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000503:physiopathology; D002307:Cardiography, Impedance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
keywords: Cardiovascular profiling; Combined electrocardiogram-Doppler ultrasonography; Impedance cardiography; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy