Serial profile of flow-mediated dilatation in primigravida for prediction of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension

ABSTRACT

Objective: Assessment of endothelial dysfunction for prediction of gestational hypertension/preeclampsia (GH/PE).

Methods: Serial assessment of flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) of brachial artery was done in first, second, and third trimesters, and within 6 weeks of delivery in primigravida (n = 654). Logistic regression was used to assess the predictive value of FMD for the development of GH/PE.

Results: Significant fall in FMD was observed from first trimester to third trimester but decrease in FMD in GH/PE group (57%) was more marked as compared to normal (39%) (p < 0.01). FMD (third trimester) was able to predict the development of GH/PE (OR = 1.303; 95% CI 1.088–1.562; p = 0.004).

Conclusions: FMD can be used as a non-invasive marker to predict the development of GH/PE.

KEYWORDS:

• Primigravida
• preeclampsia
• gestational hypertension
• endothelial dysfunction
• flow-mediated dilatation

Acknowledgments

The authors also wish to thank Prof. Ashok Jaryal, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences for his critical inputs and Prof. Samir Malhotra for his academic support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Anita S Malhotra: study conception, study planning, FMD estimation, data analysis, manuscript writing.

Poonam Goel: participant care, study conduct, manuscript writing.

Archana Chaudhary: study conduct, data collection, data entry.

Suman Kochhar: FMD estimation, critical inputs to manuscript writing.

Gurjit Kaur: Data analysis, critical inputs to manuscript writing.

Anumeha Bhagat: study planning, data analysis, critical inputs to manuscript writing.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) vide grant # DHR/RMC/CHD/4/2011.