title: Diastolic blood pressure increase is a risk indicator for pre-eclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A previous study demonstrated that the increase in diastolic blood pressure during pregnancy was reduced by supplementation with magnesium. The present study was undertaken to explore if increases in diastolic blood pressure could be useful for early identification of pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital records of nulliparous, singleton normal pregnancies (n = 100) and those diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (n = 109) were obtained from a register at an antenatal health care unit. Data on blood pressure at the regular visits to the unit were collected and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher at pregnancy week 12 among those who developed pre-eclampsia (p = 0.046 and 0.001, resp). An increase in diastolic blood pressure ≥15 mmHg occurred more frequently among women with pre-eclampsia. In 93 % of the cases, this increase was present before and at the same time as the clinical diagnosis of pre-eclampsia was established.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that a base-line diastolic blood pressure of ≥80 mmHg and an increase in diastolic blood pressure of ≥15 mmHg could be used to identify women at risk of pre-eclampsia (sensitivity 92 %, specificity 44 %) and as a selection criterion in treatment or prevention assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bullarbo
authors.forename: Ragnar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rylander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors