Search

Early detection of pre-eclampsia is challenging due to the low sensitivity and specificity of current clinical methods and biomarkers. This study investigates the potential of high-wavenumber FTIR spectroscopy (region between 2800 and 3600 cm−1) as an innovative diagnostic approach capable of providing comprehensive biochemical insights with minimal sample preparation. Blood samples were collected from 33 pregnant women and their corresponding 33 newborns during induction or spontaneous labor. By analyzing the dried blood plasma samples, we identified biomarkers associated with FTIR vibrational modes, including 2853.6 cm−1 (CH2 stretching in lipids), 2873.0 cm−1 (CH3 stretching in lipids and proteins), and 3279.7 cm−1 (O–H stretching related to water and proteins). Machine learning classification revealed 76.3% ± 3.5% sensitivity and 56.1% ± 4.4% specificity in distinguishing between pre-eclamptic and non-pre-eclamptic pregnant women, along with 79.0% ± 3.5% sensitivity and 76.9% ± 6.2% specificity for newborns. The overall accuracy for classifying all pregnant women and newborns was 71.8% ± 2.5%. The results indicate that high-wavenumber FTIR spectroscopy can enhance classification performance when combined with other analytical methods. Our findings suggest that investigating hydrophilic sites may complement plasma analysis in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Preeclampsia affects a significant percentage of pregnancies which is a leading cause of premature birth. Probiotics have the potential to affect inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress, which are linked to the development of preeclampsia. The study aimed to compare the effect of synbiotic and placebo on blood pressure and pregnancy duration as primary outcomes, and other pregnancy outcomes. Methods This study comprised 128 pregnant women with mild preeclampsia and gestational ages exceeding 24 weeks who were referred to the high-risk pregnancy clinic. It was a randomized, controlled, phase III, triple-blinded clinical experiment. The intervention and control groups were distributed to the participants at random. Intervention group received one oral synbiotic capsule, and control group received placebo daily until delivery. Based on gestational age at the time of diagnosis, preeclampsia was stratificated as early (

Early detection of pre-eclampsia is challenging due to the low sensitivity and specificity of current clinical methods and biomarkers. This study investigates the potential of high-wavenumber FTIR spectroscopy (region between 2800 and 3600 cm−1) as an innovative diagnostic approach capable of providing comprehensive biochemical insights with minimal sample preparation. Blood samples were collected from 33 pregnant women and their corresponding 33 newborns during induction or spontaneous labor. By analyzing the dried blood plasma samples, we identified biomarkers associated with FTIR vibrational modes, including 2853.6 cm−1 (CH2 stretching in lipids), 2873.0 cm−1 (CH3 stretching in lipids and proteins), and 3279.7 cm−1 (O–H stretching related to water and proteins). Machine learning classification revealed 76.3% ± 3.5% sensitivity and 56.1% ± 4.4% specificity in distinguishing between pre-eclamptic and non-pre-eclamptic pregnant women, along with 79.0% ± 3.5% sensitivity and 76.9% ± 6.2% specificity for newborns. The overall accuracy for classifying all pregnant women and newborns was 71.8% ± 2.5%. The results indicate that high-wavenumber FTIR spectroscopy can enhance classification performance when combined with other analytical methods. Our findings suggest that investigating hydrophilic sites may complement plasma analysis in clinical settings.

Preeclampsia is a primary placental disorder, with impaired placental vascularization leading to uteroplacental hypoperfusion. We aimed to investigate differences in metal and metalloid content between the placentas of women with preeclampsia and healthy controls. This was a case–control study in 63 women with preeclampsia and 113 healthy women. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the placental metals and metalloids content. Compared with healthy control subjects, preeclampsia was associated with a significantly lower concentration of essential elements (magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium) in the placental tissue. After multivariable adjustment, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in selenium concentration was associated with a reduced risk of preeclampsia with an OR of 0.50 (95% CI: 0.33–0.77). The joint effects of multiple selected metals and metalloids were associated with a reduced risk of preeclampsia. The lower placental magnesium, chromium, iron, zinc, and selenium concentrations of preeclampsia cases indicate a potential link to its pathogenesis. It also provides an intriguing avenue for future research in revealing the underlying mechanisms and potential intervention strategies for preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The BUMP trials evaluated blood pressure self-monitoring in addition to usual care. • Mixed-methods used to evaluate health professionals' perspectives and experiences. • Health professionals felt SMBP did not over-medicalise pregnancy for women. • Health professionals valued SMBP as means of sharing responsibility. • SMBP empowers women to understand their bodies and contribute to their care. The BUMP trials evaluated a self-monitoring of blood pressure intervention in addition to usual care, testing whether they improved detection or control of hypertension for women at risk of hypertension or with hypertension during pregnancy. This process evaluation aimed to understand healthcare professionals' perspectives and experiences of the BUMP trials of self-monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy. Twenty-two in-depth qualitative interviews and an online survey with 328 healthcare professionals providing care for pregnant people in the BUMP trials were carried out across five maternity units in England. Analysis used Normalisation Process Theory to identify factors required for successful implementation and integration into routine practice. Healthcare professionals felt self-monitoring of blood pressure did not over-medicalise pregnancy for women with, or at risk of, hypertension. Most said self-monitored readings positively affected their clinical encounters and professional roles, provided additive information on which to base decisions and enriched their relationships with pregnant people. Self-monitoring of blood pressure shifts responsibilities. Some healthcare professionals felt women having responsibility to decide on timing of monitoring and whether to act on self-monitored readings was unduly burdensome, and resulted in healthcare professionals taking additional responsibility for supporting them. Despite healthcare professionals' early concerns that self-monitoring of blood pressure might over-medicalise pregnancy, our analysis shows the opposite was the case when used in the care of pregnant people with, or at higher risk of, hypertension. While professionals retained ultimate clinical responsibility, they viewed self-monitoring of blood pressure as a means of sharing responsibility and empowering women to understand their bodies, to make judgements and decisions, and to contribute to their care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stage 1 hypertension during pregnancy is a risk factor for stage 2 hypertension. • It may progress to preeclampsia, gestational or transient gestational hypertension. • It is a risk for postpartum hypertension and postpartum antihypertensive therapy. • Adverse fetal outcomes did not differ between the study and control arm. • Surveillance is required during and after pregnancy of stage 1 hypertensives. To determine the pregnancy outcomes of women who had 2017 American College of Cardiologists stage 1 hypertension during the first prenatal clinic visit before 20 gestational weeks in a tertiary hospital in South Africa. A retrospective cohort study involving the review of medical records of 127 participants with stage 1 hypertension and 128 control with blood pressure (BP) less than stage 1 hypertension before 20 weeks' gestation. The primary outcome measure was progression to stage 2 hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg). Secondary outcome measures were a combination of maternal variables (postpartum BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, use of antihypertensives within 24 h postpartum, pulmonary oedema, and maternal death within 24 h postpartum) and perinatal variables (fetal growth restriction, gestational age at delivery, fetal compromise, abruptio placenta, birth weight, Apgar score in 1 and 5 min). The study and control arms were similar in age, parity, and comorbidities (p > 0.05). The following maternal outcomes were worse (p < 0.001) in the study compared to control arm: progression to stage 2 hypertension (46 % vs 1.6 %), postpartum systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg (33.9 % vs 1.6 %), postpartum diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg (22.1 % vs 1.6 %) and use of antihypertensives within 24 h postpartum (27.6 % vs 0.8 %). Other outcome measures did not differ between the two groups (p > 0.05). Stage 1 hypertension occurring before 20 weeks' gestation increases the risk of progression to stage 2 hypertension in pregnancy and the use of antihypertensive drug therapy within 24 h postpartum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO)-induced vasodilation is impaired in pregnancy hypertension. However, the role of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)-derived hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as an alternative for counteracting vascular dysfunction, is incompletely clear in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Therefore, PVAT-derived H2S-induced vasodilation was investigated in pregnancy hypertension-induced endothelial dysfunction. Non-pregnant (Non-Preg) and pregnant (Preg) rats were submitted (or not) to the deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt protocol and assigned as follows (n = 10/group): Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), angiogenesis-related factors, determinant levels of H2S (PbS), NO (NOx), and oxidative stress (MDA) were assessed. Vascular changes were recorded in thoracic aortas with PVAT and endothelium (intact and removed layers). Vasorelaxation responses to the substrate (L-cysteine) for the H2S-producing enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) were examined in the absence and presence of CSE-inhibitor DL-propargylglycine (PAG) in thoracic aorta rings pre-incubated with cofactor for CSE (pyridoxal-5 phosphate: PLP) and pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Hypertension was only found in the Preg+DOCA group. Preg+DOCA rats showed angiogenic imbalances and increased levels of MDA. PbS, but not NOx, showed increased levels in the Preg+DOCA group. Pre-incubation with PLP and L-cysteine elevated determinants of H2S in PVAT and placentas of Preg-DOCA rats, whereas no changes were found in the aortas without PVAT. Aortas of Preg-DOCA rats showed that PVAT-derived H2S-dependent vasodilation was greater compared to endothelium-derived H2S, whereas PAG blocked these responses. PVAT-derived H2S endogenously stimulated with the amino acid L-cysteine may be an alternative to induce vasorelaxation in endothelial dysfunction related to pregnancy hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but the mechanisms of pregnancy hypertension are not precisely understood. Elevated plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations play an important role in the normal physiologic adaptation to pregnancy. These effectors are reduced in patients with pregnancy hypertension, creating an opportunity to define the features of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) that are characteristic of this disorder. In the current study, we used a novel LC-MS/MS-based methodology to develop comprehensive profiles of RAAS peptides and effectors over gestation in a cohort of 74 pregnant women followed prospectively for the development of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia (HYP, 27 patients) versus those remaining normotensive (NT, 47 patients). In NT pregnancy, the plasma renin activity surrogate, (PRA-S, calculated from the sum of Angiotensin I + Angiotensin II) and aldosterone concentrations significantly increased from the first to the third trimester, accompanied by a modest increase in the concentrations of angiotensin peptide metabolites. In contrast, in HYP pregnancies, PRA-S and angiotensin peptides were largely unchanged over gestation, and third-trimester aldosterone concentrations were significantly lower compared with those in NT pregnancies. The results indicated that the predominant features of pregnancies that develop HYP are stalled or waning activation of the RAAS in the second half of pregnancy (accompanied by unchanging levels of angiotensin peptides) and the attenuated secretion of aldosterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Clinical trials commonly use multiple endpoints to measure the impact of an intervention. While this improves the comprehensiveness of outcomes, it can make trial results difficult to interpret. We examined the impact of integrating patient weights into a composite endpoint on the interpretation of Control of Hypertension in Pregnancy Study (CHIPS) Trial results. Methods Outcome weights were extracted from a previous patient preferences study in pregnancy hypertension (N = 183 women) which identified (i) seven outcomes most important to women (taking medication, severe hypertension, pre-eclampsia, blood transfusion, Caesarean, delivery < 34 weeks, and baby born smaller-than-expected) and (ii) three preference subgroups: (1) ‘equal prioritizers’, 62%; (2) ‘early delivery avoiders’, 23%; and (3) ‘medication minimizers’, 14%. Outcome weights from the preference subgroups were integrated with CHIPS data for the seven outcomes identified in the preference study. A weighted composite score was derived for each participant by multiplying the preference weight for each outcome by the binary outcome if it occurred. Analyses considered equal weights and those from the preference subgroups. The mean composite scores were compared between trial arms (t-tests). Results Composite scores were similar between trial arms with the use of equal weights or those of subgroup (1) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]: − 0.03, 0.02; p > 0.50 for each). ‘Tight’ control was superior when using subgroup (2) weights (95% CIs: 0.002, 0.07; p = 0.03), and ‘less-tight’ control was superior when using subgroup (3) weights (95% CIs: − 0.11, − 0.04; p < 0.01). Conclusions Evidence-based recommendations for ‘tight’ control are consistent with most women’s preferences, but for a sixth of women, ‘less-tight’ control is more preference consistent. Depending on patient preferences, a single trial may support different interventions. Future trials should specify component weights to improve interpretation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01192412

Background: Clinical trials commonly use multiple endpoints to measure the impact of an intervention. While this improves the comprehensiveness of outcomes, it can make trial results difficult to interpret. We examined the impact of integrating patient weights into a composite endpoint on the interpretation of Control of Hypertension in Pregnancy Study (CHIPS) Trial results. Methods: Outcome weights were extracted from a previous patient preferences study in pregnancy hypertension (N = 183 women) which identified (i) seven outcomes most important to women (taking medication, severe hypertension, pre-eclampsia, blood transfusion, Caesarean, delivery < 34 weeks, and baby born smaller-than-expected) and (ii) three preference subgroups: (1) 'equal prioritizers', 62%; (2) 'early delivery avoiders', 23%; and (3) 'medication minimizers', 14%. Outcome weights from the preference subgroups were integrated with CHIPS data for the seven outcomes identified in the preference study. A weighted composite score was derived for each participant by multiplying the preference weight for each outcome by the binary outcome if it occurred. Analyses considered equal weights and those from the preference subgroups. The mean composite scores were compared between trial arms (t-tests). Results: Composite scores were similar between trial arms with the use of equal weights or those of subgroup (1) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]: − 0.03, 0.02; p > 0.50 for each). 'Tight' control was superior when using subgroup (2) weights (95% CIs: 0.002, 0.07; p = 0.03), and 'less-tight' control was superior when using subgroup (3) weights (95% CIs: − 0.11, − 0.04; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Evidence-based recommendations for 'tight' control are consistent with most women's preferences, but for a sixth of women, 'less-tight' control is more preference consistent. Depending on patient preferences, a single trial may support different interventions. Future trials should specify component weights to improve interpretation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01192412 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO)-induced vasodilation is impaired in pregnancy hypertension. However, the role of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)-derived hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as an alternative for counteracting vascular dysfunction, is incompletely clear in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Therefore, PVAT-derived H2S-induced vasodilation was investigated in pregnancy hypertension-induced endothelial dysfunction. Non-pregnant (Non-Preg) and pregnant (Preg) rats were submitted (or not) to the deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt protocol and assigned as follows (n = 10/group): Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), angiogenesis-related factors, determinant levels of H2S (PbS), NO (NOx), and oxidative stress (MDA) were assessed. Vascular changes were recorded in thoracic aortas with PVAT and endothelium (intact and removed layers). Vasorelaxation responses to the substrate (L-cysteine) for the H2S-producing enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) were examined in the absence and presence of CSE-inhibitor DL-propargylglycine (PAG) in thoracic aorta rings pre-incubated with cofactor for CSE (pyridoxal-5 phosphate: PLP) and pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Hypertension was only found in the Preg+DOCA group. Preg+DOCA rats showed angiogenic imbalances and increased levels of MDA. PbS, but not NOx, showed increased levels in the Preg+DOCA group. Pre-incubation with PLP and L-cysteine elevated determinants of H2S in PVAT and placentas of Preg-DOCA rats, whereas no changes were found in the aortas without PVAT. Aortas of Preg-DOCA rats showed that PVAT-derived H2S-dependent vasodilation was greater compared to endothelium-derived H2S, whereas PAG blocked these responses. PVAT-derived H2S endogenously stimulated with the amino acid L-cysteine may be an alternative to induce vasorelaxation in endothelial dysfunction related to pregnancy hypertension.

Patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are at increased risk of maternal-fetal complications and represent the third leading cause of maternal mortality. To date, it is known that women experiencing this condition during pregnancy have a higher future risk of cardiovascular events (CVD). Our objective was to report the incidence of new-onset hypertension in the postpartum period. We conducted a cohort study in high-risk pregnant patients who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) between weeks 20-30. Patients were categorized as normotensive (NT) or gestational hypertensive (GH), excluding those with chronic hypertension, and were followed until the end of pregnancy with a postpartum assessment after 3months. Patients with HDP (39%) had a higher incidence of preeclampsia and newborns with low birth weight and preterm birth. A total of 177 pregnant women were analyzed for the primary outcome. Among those with GH, 33.3% vs 17.2% of NT (P=.014) reported new-onset hypertension. The odds ratio for developing new-onset hypertension was 2.3 (95%CI: 1.20-4.77), for those with GH. In conclusion, pregnant patients with GH assessed by ABPM between 20-30weeks are at higher risk of developing new-onset hypertension in the postpartum period, emphasizing the need for closer monitoring and control to prevent future cardiovascular complications., (Copyright © 2024 SEH-LELHA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was to examine the association between prenatal exposure to maternal Hypertensive disorder during pregnancy (HDP) on brain structure and neurocognitive functioning (NCF) in singleton children aged between 9 and 10 years using the baseline wave of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The ABCD Study ® interviewed each child (and their parents), measured NCF, and performed neuroimaging. Exposure to maternal high blood pressure (HBP) and preeclampsia or eclampsia (PE/EL) were extracted from the developmental history questionnaire. Differences in cortical thickness (CTh) and five cognitive abilities (two executive functions, working and episodic memory, processing speed, and two language abilities) between exposed and unexposed children were examined using generalized linear models. The mediating effects of CTh, birthweight, and BMI on the relationship between maternal HDP on NCF were also examined. A total of 584-children exposed to HBP, 387-children exposed to PE/EL, and 5,877 unexposed children were included in the analysis. Neither CTh nor NCF differed between the exposed and unexposed children with or without adjusting for the confounders including the child's age, sex, race, education, and birth histories. The whole-brain CTh did not mediate the relationships between HDP and NCF. However, the relationship between HDP and most of the NCF was mediated by the child's birthweight and BMI. Exposure to maternal HDP can affect their offspring's later-life cognitive abilities via low birthweight and BMI during childhood. Prospective longitudinal studies, following up from infancy, are needed to further delineate the association of HDP on children's cognitive abilities.

Abstract Objective To determine the profile of maternal deaths occurred in the period between 2000 and 2019 in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA, in the Portuguese acronym) and to compare it with maternal deaths between 1980 and 1999 in the same institution. Methods Retrospective study that analyzed 2,481 medical records of women between 10 and 49 years old who died between 2000 and 2018. The present study was approved by the Ethics Committee (CAAE 78021417600005327). Results After reviewing 2,481 medical records of women who died in reproductive age, 43 deaths had occurred during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. Of these, 28 were considered maternal deaths. The maternal mortality ratio was 37.6 per 100,000 live births. Regarding causes, 16 deaths (57.1%) were directly associated with pregnancy, 10 (35.1%) were indirectly associated, and 2 (7.1%) were unrelated. The main cause of death was hypertension during pregnancy (31.2%) followed by acute liver steatosis during pregnancy (25%). In the previous study, published in 2003 in the same institution4, the mortality rate was 129 per 100,000 live births, and most deaths were related to direct obstetric causes (62%). The main causes of death in this period were due to hypertensive complications (17.2%), followed by postcesarean infection (16%). Conclusion Compared with data before the decade of 2000, there was an important reduction in maternal deaths due to infectious causes.

Abstract Background Although preeclampsia has long been recognized as a condition affecting late pregnancy, little is known of its pathogenesis or treatment. The placenta releases a number of hormones and molecules that influence the course of pregnancy, one of which is chromogranin A, a soluble protein secreted mainly from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Its role in pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders remains unclear. Therefore, the main aim of the proposed study is to determine whether chromogranin A is related with the occurrence of preeclampsia. Methods Placental samples were collected from 102 preeclamptic patients and 103 healthy controls, and Chromogranin A gene (CHGA) expression was measured using real-time RT-PCR, The RT-PCR results were verified on the protein level using ELISA. The normal distribution of the data was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The clinical and personal characteristics of the groups were compared using the Student’s t-test for normally-distributed data, and the χ2 test for categorical variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for non-normally distributed data. As the log- transformation was not suitable for the given outcomes, the Box- Cox Transformation was used to normalize data from ELISA tests and CHGA expression. Values of P

Objective: To investigate the effect of pingganxifeng decoction combined with magnesium sulfate on hemodynamics, glucose and lipid metabolism and pregnancy outcome in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (GH) with deficiency of liver and kidney yin. 119 patients with GH who were admitted to Lanzhou Second People's Hospital from March 2018 to October 2019 were selected, and they were randomly divided into control group (n=59) and study group (n=60). The control group was treated with magnesium sulfate. The study group was treated with pingganxifeng decoction on the basis of the control group. The efficacy, hemody)namics, glycolipid metabolism, blood pressure, heart rate and TCM Syndromes scores and pregnancy outcome of the two groups were compared. The total clinical effective rate of the study group was 91.67% (55/60), which was significantly higher than that of the control group 77.97% (46/59) (P<0.05). The systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, mean arterial pressure and heart rate of the two groups decreased at 7 days after treatment, and those in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). 7 days after treat)ment, the cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI) of the two groups decreased, and those of the study group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). Triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), fasting glucose, total cholesterol (TC) decreased and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) increased in the two groups at 7 days after treatment (P<0.05), and the change degree of the above indexes in the study group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). 7 days after treatment, the symptom scores of blurred vision, hot hands and feet, fine pulse, dry mouth and constipation, and little red tongue and moss of the two groups decreased, and those in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Pingganxifeng decoction combined with magnesium sulfate is effective in the treatment of GH with deficiency of liver and kidney yin. It can effectively improve the clinical symptoms, hemodynamics, glucose and lipid metabolism of the patients, and reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, the clinical application value is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired renal function in pregnant women with preeclampsia is particularly common, yet there is no consensus about implementation. This lack of consensus is due in part to uncertainty about risks for disease progression. Limited evidence suggests that C677T gene polymorphism of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) may affect impaired renal function in pregnant women with preeclampsia in Chinese Han population. To investigate the association between MTHFR C677T and impaired renal function in pregnant women with preeclampsia, a total of 327 pregnant women diagnosed with gestational hypertension (GH) or preeclampsia-eclampsia (PE) from January 2016 to December 2021 were selected as the study subjects. The personal information, gestational information, clinical indicators, and the C677T gene polymorphism of MTHFR were tested. Compared with the GH group, the PE renal function impairment group had increased in blood pressure, homocysteine level, liver and kidney function indicators (creatinine, uric acid, urea nitrogen, cystatin C, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, cholyglycine), and blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein) but had reductions in plasma protein (total protein, albumin, globulin, prealbumin), trace elements (calcium and zinc), prothrombin time and fibrinogen. The homocysteine level in the TT genotype was higher than that in the CC and CT genotypes. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism was associated with PE renal function impairment in the recessive model (OR: 1.620, 95% CI: 1.033–2.541, P < 0.05). These findings show that the C677T gene polymorphism of MTHFR is an independent risk factor for impaired renal function in pregnant Chinese Han women with PE.

Objective: This study aimed to review pregnancy hypertension clinical practice guidelines to inform international clinical practice and research priorities.Study Eligibility Criteria: Relevant national and international clinical practice guidelines, 2009-19, published in English, French, Dutch or German.Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods: Following published methods and prospective registration (CRD42019123787), a literature search was updated. CPGs were identified by 2 authors independently who scored quality and usefulness for practice (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument), abstracted data, and resolved any disagreement by consensus.Results: Of note, 15 of 17 identified clinical practice guidelines (4 international) were deemed "clinically useful" and had recommendations abstracted. The highest Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II scores were from government organizations, and scores have improved over time. The following were consistently recommended: (1) automated blood pressure measurement with devices validated for pregnancy and preeclampsia, reflecting increasing recognition of the prevalence of white-coat hypertension and the potential usefulness of home blood pressure monitoring; (2) use of dipstick proteinuria testing for screening followed by quantitative testing by urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio or 24-hour urine collection; (3) key definitions and most aspects of classification, including a broad definition of preeclampsia (which includes proteinuria and maternal end-organ dysfunction, including headache and visual symptoms and laboratory abnormalities of platelets, creatinine, or liver enzymes) and a recognition that it can worsen after delivery; (4) preeclampsia prevention with aspirin; (5) treatment of severe hypertension, most commonly with intravenous labetalol, oral nifedipine, or intravenous hydralazine; (6) treatment for nonsevere hypertension when undertaken, with oral labetalol (in particular), methyldopa, or nifedipine, with recommendations against the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitors; (7) magnesium sulfate for eclampsia treatment and prevention among women with "severe" preeclampsia; (8) antenatal corticosteroids for preterm birth but not hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome; (9) delivery at term for preeclampsia; (10) a focus on usual labor and delivery care but avoidance of ergometrine; and (11) an appreciation that long-term health complications are increased in incidence, mandating lifestyle change and risk factor modification. Lack of uniformity was seen in the following areas: (1) the components of a broad preeclampsia definition (specifically respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, fetal manifestations, and biomarkers), what constitutes severe preeclampsia, and whether the definition has utility because at present what constitutes severe preeclampsia by some guidelines that mandate proteinuria now defines any preeclampsia for most other clinical practice guidelines; (2) how preeclampsia risk should be identified early in pregnancy, and aspirin administered for preeclampsia prevention, because multivariable models (with biomarkers and ultrasonography added to clinical risk markers) used in this way to guide aspirin therapy can substantially reduce the incidence of preterm preeclampsia; (3) the value of calcium added to aspirin for preeclampsia prevention, particularly for women with low intake and at increased risk of preeclampsia; (4) emerging recommendations to normalize blood pressure with antihypertensive agents even in the absence of comorbidities; (5) fetal neuroprotection as an indication for magnesium sulfate in the absence of "severe" preeclampsia; and (6) timing of birth for chronic and gestational hypertension and preterm preeclampsia.Conclusion: Consistent recommendations should be implemented and audited. Inconsistencies should be the focus of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Indonesia has the highest maternal mortality rate in South East Asia, that a third of the mortality is caused by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia and eclampsia. Research suggests that maternal deaths from HDP are avoidable with appropriate initial management in primary care. However, little is known regarding the exact way HDP management is conducted in Indonesian primary care. This research aims to explore the way HDP management is provided, including its barriers and facilitators in Indonesian primary care settings. Methods This research applied a practical qualitative methodology using interviews with a topic guide. It is guided by the implementation science framework of the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework and Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) to design and evaluate complex healthcare interventions. Primary care key stakeholders from Yogyakarta province were recruited from May–December 2018. The interviews were conducted in face-to-face, telephone, and teleconference interviews. Data from the interviews were analysed thematically using a mix of inductive and deductive approaches. Results A total of 24 participants were interviewed, consisting of four general practitioners, five midwives, three nurses, three obstetricians, a cardiologist, five policymakers and three women with a previous history of HDP. Referrals are the usual management performed for HDP women in primary care and the primary care providers’ practice is challenged by three identified themes: (i) providers’ limited confidence to perform HDP management, (ii) fragmented continuity of care, and (iii) community beliefs. Many participants also desired to have more focused guidance to improve HDP management in primary care practice. Conclusion Even though Indonesian antenatal care and referrals are generally accessible, there are many challenges and fragmentation of HDP management. The most prominent challenge is the primary care providers’ lack of confidence in performing the management and the ‘elephant’ of an urgent need of practice guidelines in primary care that has never been appropriately described in the literature. Further development of an evidence-based primary care-focused guidance will potentially improve primary care providers’ skills to perform optimal HDP management and provide appropriate education to their patients.

Background: Although preeclampsia has long been recognized as a condition affecting late pregnancy, little is known of its pathogenesis or treatment. The placenta releases a number of hormones and molecules that influence the course of pregnancy, one of which is chromogranin A, a soluble protein secreted mainly from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Its role in pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders remains unclear. Therefore, the main aim of the proposed study is to determine whether chromogranin A is related with the occurrence of preeclampsia.Methods: Placental samples were collected from 102 preeclamptic patients and 103 healthy controls, and Chromogranin A gene (CHGA) expression was measured using real-time RT-PCR, The RT-PCR results were verified on the protein level using ELISA. The normal distribution of the data was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The clinical and personal characteristics of the groups were compared using the Student's t-test for normally-distributed data, and the χ2 test for categorical variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for non-normally distributed data. As the log- transformation was not suitable for the given outcomes, the Box- Cox Transformation was used to normalize data from ELISA tests and CHGA expression. Values of P < .05 were considered statistically significant.Results: Chromogranin A gene expression was found to be significantly higher in the study group than in controls. Protein analyses showed that although the CgA concentration in placental samples did not differ significantly, the catestatin (CST) level was significantly lower in samples obtained from women with preeclampsia, according to the controls.Conclusions For Practice: This study for the first time reveals that chromogranin A gene expression level is associated with preeclampsia. Moreover, the depletion in catestatin level, which plays a protective role in hypertension development, might be a marker of developing preeclampsia. Further studies may unravel role of Chromogranin A in the discussed disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine temporal trends of eclampsia by plurality in the US spanning three decades (1989-2018); and to investigate risk factors for eclampsia among singleton and multiple pregnancies in the US during the study period.Study Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Natality data files, including information on all births within the gestational age of 20-42 weeks from 1989 through 2018. We used joinpoint regression analysis to evaluate trends in rates of eclampsia over the study period. We employed logistic regression models to examine the association between plurality and eclampsia after adjusting for socio-demographic and gestational factors.Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was eclampsia among singleton and multiple pregnancies.Findings: There was a 2.8% (95% CI: -5.4, -0.1) average annual reduction in eclampsia rates among singletons, whereas among multiples there was a decline of about 3.7% (95% CI: -6.4, -1.0) annually. Mothers with multiple pregnancies had three-fold increased adjusted odds (OR = 95% CI: 2.95-3.21) of experiencing eclampsia when compared to those with singleton gestations. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black mothers with singletons had 37% greater adjusted odds of developing eclampsia than their NH-White peers (95%CI: 1.33-1.42).Conclusion: There was an overall decreasing trend in eclampsia incidence in the US from 1989 to 2018, regardless of plurality. The occurrence of eclampsia was associated with plurality, race/ethnicity, maternal age and maternal BMI. Given the heterogeneity in clinical presentations of eclampsia, personalized/standardized risk prediction models are needed to enable consistent diagnosis and timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pregnancy hypertension induces increased blood pressure in female offspring. • Birth weight of female offspring from pregnancy hypertension is not affected. • Young adulthood and early in pregnancy period in offspring may be more sensitive. • Plasma of daughters induces reductions on nitric oxide formation in endothelial cells. Maternal endothelial dysfunction in pregnancy hypertension is related to impairment of nitric oxide (NO) formation. However, NO levels and hemodynamic repercussions on the female offspring remain unclear. Therefore, this study hypothesized that maternal pregnancy hypertension reduces circulating NO metabolites and increases arterial blood pressure in first-generation offspring female rats. Descendant female rats were distributed in four groups as follows: virgin offspring of normotensive (VN) and hypertensive (VH) mothers and pregnant offspring of normotensive (PN) and hypertensive (PH) mothers. Hemodynamic and biochemical analyses were performed. The systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and body weight were measured. NO metabolites in plasma, NO formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) incubated with plasma, and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression in aortas were determined. Increased SBP, DBP, and reduced HR were found on the 60 days of life in the VH group, whereas the PH group showed increased SBP and HR on pregnancy day 7. All groups showed no differences in body weight gain and eNOS expression. Plasma levels of NO metabolites were increased in the PN compared to the other groups. Increases in the NO formation were greater in HUVECs incubated with plasma from VN and PN groups compared to the VH and PH groups. Female virgin and pregnant first-generation offspring rats from hypertensive pregnant mothers may have negative cardiovascular repercussions featured by increases in SBP, and possibly impaired NO formation is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health effects to the mother and fetus. Besides many publications on the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) and preeclampsia, there has been no published meta-analysis. This necessitated the present systemic review and met-analysis to assess the RDW in relation to preeclampsia. Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. Relevant published studies were searched in PubMed, Cochrane library, Google scholar, Scopus, Embase and CINAHL using the term “Preeclampsia OR eclampsia AND red cell distribution width OR red blood cells). Modified Newcastle – Ottawa quality assessment scale was used for critical appraisal of retrieved studies. Pooled Meta logistic regression was computed using OpenMeta Analyst software. Subgroup and meta-regression methods were performed to analyse the heterogeneity. Results Eleven case control studies were included in the met-analyses with a total of 951 cases (preeclampsia) and 2024 controls. The mean (SD) of the RDW level was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls [15.10 (2.48) % vs. 14.26(1.71) %, P

(1) Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) include gestational hypertension (GH), chronic hypertension (CH), preeclampsia (PE), and preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (CH with PE). HDP is associated with several short and long-term perinatal and neonatal complications, such as newborn growth restriction and death. This study aimed to establish the association between HDP, newborn growth abnormalities, and neonatal outcome. (2) Methods: This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of 63651 singleton deliveries. (3) Results: Univariate analysis showed a significantly increased risk of intrauterine and neonatal death associated with maternal hypertension and growth disorders. There were differences between growth charts used, with the highest risk of stillbirth for SGA defined by the Intergrowth chart (OR 17.2) and neonatal death for newborn growth restriction (NGR) based on Intergrowth (OR 19.1). Multivariate analysis showed that NGR is a stronger risk factor of neonatal death than SGA only. (4) Conclusions: HDP is significantly associated with growth abnormalities and is an independent risk factor of adverse outcomes. The presence of newborn growth restriction is strongly associated with the risk of neonatal death. The choice of growth chart has a substantial effect on the percentage of diagnosis of SGA and NGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is increased risk of hypertension, early cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality in women who have had preeclampsia. This study was undertaken to determine the upper limit of normal blood pressure (BP) 6 months postpartum and the frequency of women with prior preeclampsia who had BP above these limits, as part of the P4 (Post‐Partum Physiology, Psychology and Pediatric) follow‐up study. Methods and Results BP was measured by sphygmomanometer, 24‐hour ambulatory BP monitoring, and non‐invasive central BP at 6 months postpartum in 302 women who had normotensive pregnancy and 90 who had preeclampsia. The upper limit of normal BP (mean+2 SD) for women with normotensive pregnancy was 122/79 mm Hg for routine BP, 115/81 mm Hg for central BP, and 121/78 mm Hg for 24‐hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Traditional normal values detected only 3% of women who had preeclampsia as having high BP 6 months postpartum whereas these new values detected between 13% and 19%. Women with preeclampsia had greater body mass index (27.8 versus 25.0, P

Background Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD), but existing cardiovascular prediction models do not adequately capture risks in young women. We developed a model to predict the 10‐year risk of premature CVD and mortality among women who have HDP. Methods and Results Using a population‐based cohort of women with HDP who delivered between April 1989 and March 2017 in Quebec, Canada, we developed a 10‐year CVD risk model using Cox proportional hazards regression. Women aged 18 to 45 years were followed from their first HDP‐complicated delivery until March 2018. We assessed performance of the model based on discrimination, calibration, and risk stratification ability. Internal validity was assessed using the bootstrap method. The cohort included 95 537 women who contributed 1 401 084 person‐years follow‐up. In total, 4024 (4.2%) of women were hospitalized for CVD, of which 1585 events (1.6%) occurred within 10 years of follow‐up. The final model had modest discriminatory performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.65–0.67) and good calibration with slope of 0.95 and intercept of −0.19. There was moderate classification accuracy (likelihood ratio+: 5.90; 95% CI, 5.01–6.95) in the highest‐risk group upon risk stratification. Conclusions Overall, our model had modest performance in predicting the 10‐year risk of premature CVD for women with HDP. We recommend the addition of clinical variables, and external validation, before consideration for clinical use.

Purpose: The prevalence of risk factors for pre-eclampsia has changed over time; however, little is known regarding how these changes have altered the specific contribution of each risk factor. We aim to identify trends in the contribution of different risk factors throughout different time intervals. Methods: We compared the prevalence and odds-ratio of different known risk factors for pre-eclampsia occurring in three equal population groups from 1988 to 2014. Data was retrieved from our medical center's perinatal database. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to identify independent risk factors for pre-eclampsia. We evaluated changes in risk factors and their specific contribution to the occurrence of pre-eclampsia over time and a comparison of the prevalence and odds-ratios of chosen risk factors between the three time periods was performed. Results: 295,946 pregnancies met the inclusion criteria; of those, 16,246 (5.5%) were complicated with pre-eclampsia with the incidence increasing from 8 to 11%. Chronic hypertension, systemic lupus erythematosus, pre-gestational diabetes mellitus, twin pregnancy, advanced maternal age and fertility treatments were found to be the strongest independent risk factors. While rates of twin pregnancies and pre-gestational diabetes mellitus have demonstrated a linear increase, fertility treatments demonstrated a linear decrease. Chronic hypertension and systemic lupus erythematosus resulted in a mixed trend. Conclusion: In our study, not only did the rates of different risk factors for pre-eclampsia change over the study period, the specific contribution of each risk factor for the occurrence of pre-eclampsia changed as well. Developing a better understanding of these trends might aid in our ability to predict this major complication and to improve maternal and fetal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To reduce all-cause maternal and perinatal mortality and major morbidity through Lady Health Worker (LHW)-facilitated community engagement and early diagnosis, stabilization and referral of women with preeclampsia, an important contributor to adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes given delays in early detection and initial management.Study Design: In the Pakistan Community-Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) cluster randomized controlled trial (NCT01911494), LHWs engaged the community, recruited pregnant women from 20 union councils (clusters), undertook mobile health-guided clinical assessment for preeclampsia, and referral to facilities after stabilization.Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was a composite of maternal, fetal and newborn mortality and major morbidity.Findings: We recruited 39,446 women in intervention (N = 20,264) and control clusters (N = 19,182) with minimal loss to follow-up (3∙7% vs. 4∙5%, respectively). The primary outcome did not differ between intervention (26·6%) and control (21·9%) clusters (adjusted odds ratio, aOR, 1∙20 [95% confidence interval 0∙84-1∙72]; p = 0∙31). There was reduction in stillbirths (0·89 [0·81-0·99]; p = 0·03), but no impact on maternal death (1·08 [0·69, 1·71]; p = 0·74) or morbidity (1·12 [0·57, 2·16]; p = 0·77); early (0·95 [0·82-1·09]; p = 0·46) or late neonatal deaths (1·23 [0·97-1·55]; p = 0·09); or neonatal morbidity (1·22 [0·77, 1·96]; p = 0·40). Improvements in outcome rates were observed with 4-7 (p = 0·015) and ≥8 (p < 0·001) (vs. 0) CLIP contacts.Interpretation: The CLIP intervention was well accepted by the community and implemented by LHWs. Lack of effects on adverse outcomes could relate to quality care for mothers with pre-eclampsia in health facilities. Future strategies for community outreach must also be accompanied by health facility strengthening.Funding: The University of British Columbia (PRE-EMPT), a grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1017337). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the clinical value of color Doppler ultrasound in assessing the degree of hypoxia in pregnancy-induced hypertension. A total of 106 pregnancy-induced hypertensive admitted to our hospital from June 2017 to June 2019 were enrolled in the study group, and 103 normal pregnant women in the same period as the control group, and the two groups were monitored by color Doppler ultrasonography. The uterine artery hemodynamics of the two groups of pregnant women were monitored by color Doppler ultrasonography, and the degree of hypoxia in neonates was analyzed. The RI, PI and S/D levels of the pregnant women in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The early diastolic sinus rate was 47.17 %, which was significantly higher than the control group (8.74 %, P<0.05). The average gestational age, neonatal weight and body mass index of the pregnant women in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the premature rate was 19.81 %, the cesarean section rate was 64.15 %, and the fetal distress rate was 15.09 %, which was significantly higher than the control group (5.83 %, 19.42 %, and 4.85 %, P<0.05). The gestational age and neonatal weight of the incision group in the study group were significantly lower than those in the non-incision group (P<0.05). The incidence of amniotic fluid abnormality in the study group was 16.00 %, the premature birth rate was 40.00 %, the neonatal asphyxia rate was 14.00 %, and the incidence of fetal distress was 26.00 %, which was significantly higher than the control group (5.36%, 1.79%, 1.79%, 5.38 %, P<0.05). Using color Doppler ultrasound to detect the uterine artery blood flow spectrum of pregnant women can be used as a way to understand the uterus-placenta-fetal circulation, assess the risk of pregnancy complications, and monitor the intrauterine growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Pregnancy hypertension is associated with 7.1% of maternal deaths in India. The objective of this trial was to assess whether task-sharing care might reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes related to delays in triage, transport, and treatment.Study Design: The Indian Community-Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) open-label cluster randomised controlled trial (NCT01911494) recruited pregnant women in 12 clusters (initial four-cluster internal pilot) in Belagavi and Bagalkote, Karnataka. The CLIP intervention (6 clusters) consisted of community engagement, community health workers (CHW) provided mobile health (mHeath)-guided clinical assessment, initial treatment, and referral to facility either urgently (<4 h) or non-urgently (<24 h), dependent on algorithm-defined risk. Treatment effect was estimated by multi-level logistic regression modelling, adjusted for prognostically-significant baseline variables. Predefined secondary analyses included safety and evaluation of the intensity of mHealth-guided CHW-provided contacts.Main Outcome Measures: 20% reduction in composite of maternal, fetal, and newborn mortality and major morbidity.Results: All 14,783 recruited pregnancies (7839 intervention, 6944 control) were followed-up. The primary outcome did not differ between intervention and control arms (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.92 [95% confidence interval 0.74, 1.15]; p = 0.47; intraclass correlation coefficient 0.013). There were no intervention-related safety concerns following administration of either methyldopa or MgSO4, and 401 facility referrals. Compared with intervention arm women without CLIP contacts, those with ≥8 contacts suffered fewer stillbirths (aOR 0.19 [0.10, 0.35]; p < 0.001), at the probable expense of survivable neonatal morbidity (aOR 1.39 [0.97, 1.99]; p = 0.072).Conclusions: As implemented, solely community-level interventions focussed on pre-eclampsia did not improve outcomes in northwest Karnataka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Pregnancy hypertension is the third leading cause of maternal mortality in Mozambique and contributes significantly to fetal and neonatal mortality. The objective of this trial was to assess whether task-sharing care might reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes related to delays in triage, transport, and treatment.Study Design: The Mozambique Community-Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) cluster randomised controlled trial (NCT01911494) recruited pregnant women in 12 administrative posts (clusters) in Maputo and Gaza Provinces. The CLIP intervention (6 clusters) consisted of community engagement, community health worker-provided mobile health-guided clinical assessment, initial treatment, and referral to facility either urgently (<4hrs) or non-urgently (<24hrs), dependent on algorithm-defined risk. Treatment effect was estimated by multi-level logistic regression modelling, adjusted for prognostically-significant baseline variables. Predefined secondary analyses included safety and evaluation of the intensity of CLIP contacts.Main Outcome Measures: 20% reduction in composite of maternal, fetal, and newborn mortality and major morbidity.Results: 15,013 women (15,123 pregnancies) were recruited in intervention (N = 7930; 2·0% loss to follow-up (LTFU)) and control (N = 7190; 2·8% LTFU) clusters. The primary outcome did not differ between intervention and control clusters (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1·31, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0·70, 2·48]; p = 0·40). Compared with intervention arm women without CLIP contacts, those with ≥8 contacts experienced fewer primary outcomes (aOR 0·79 (95% CI 0·63, 0·99); p = 0·041), primarily due to improved maternal outcomes (aOR 0·72 (95% CI 0·53, 0·97); p = 0·033).Interpretation: As generally implemented, the CLIP intervention did not improve pregnancy outcomes; community implementation of the WHO eight contact model may be beneficial.Funding: The University of British Columbia (PRE-EMPT), a grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1017337). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To investigate the associations between adiposity in childhood, and adiposity change from childhood to adulthood, with pregnancy hypertension.Study Design: The study followed-up 985 girls from the 1985 Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey (aged 9-15 years) who were ever pregnant in 2004-2006 and/or 2009-2011. In childhood, overweight and obesity were defined by age-sex-specific international standard for body mass index (BMI) and in adulthood as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Childhood and adult abdominal obesity were defined as waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) ≥ 0.5. A subsample of adults had abdominal obesity measures (n = 549).Main Outcome Measures: Pregnancy hypertension was self-reported as having had high blood pressure during or due to pregnancy.Results: Childhood overweight/obesity (relative risk [RR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.07-2.52) and abdominal obesity (RR = 2.55, 95% CI:1.34-4.85) were associated with higher risks of pregnancy hypertension after adjustment for age, socioeconomic status and parity. Further adjustment for adult BMI attenuated the association for childhood overweight/obesity which was no longer statistically significant (RR = 1.28, 95% CI:0.79-2.07). The association with childhood abdominal obesity persisted after adjustment for adult WHtR (RR = 2.15, 95% CI:1.10-4.20). Compared to participants with persistently normal BMI or WHtR, those who were overweight/obese in adulthood only (RR = 1.49, 95% CI:1.10-2.02), persistently overweight/obese (RR = 2.06, 95% CI:1.29-3.29) or persistently abdominally obese (RR = 3.09, 95% CI:1.54-6.20) had increased risks of pregnancy hypertension.Conclusion(s): Childhood adiposity was associated with increased risk of pregnancy hypertension, with the association of childhood abdominal obesity independent of adult abdominal obesity. Women who were persistently overweight/obese or abdominally obese since childhood had the highest risk of pregnancy hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether prior cesarean delivery is associated with occurrence of pregnancy hypertension.Methods: A prospective case-control study in consenting eligible consecutive 475 pregnancies with prior cesarean delivery and age- and parity-matched 475 pregnancies with previous vaginal delivery. Results were subjected to multiple logistical regression analysis.Results: Body mass index, birth interval, and neonatal birth weight were comparable between the study groups. In women with prior cesarean delivery, pregnancy-related hypertension was significantly higher [15.9% vs. 6.7% in those with prior vaginal delivery, p18 months, second gravidas, and in the gestation period between 32 and 36 weeks. Number of women with severe disease was higher in both the groups.Conclusion: Pregnancy-related hypertension is more common in women with prior cesarean delivery, and it occurs at earlier gestation weeks than in those without prior cesarean delivery. In multigravidas, severe forms of the disease are more common.

(1) Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) include gestational hypertension (GH), chronic hypertension (CH), preeclampsia (PE), and preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (CH with PE). HDP is associated with several short and long-term perinatal and neonatal complications, such as newborn growth restriction and death. This study aimed to establish the association between HDP, newborn growth abnormalities, and neonatal outcome. (2) Methods: This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of 63651 singleton deliveries. (3) Results: Univariate analysis showed a significantly increased risk of intrauterine and neonatal death associated with maternal hypertension and growth disorders. There were differences between growth charts used, with the highest risk of stillbirth for SGA defined by the Intergrowth chart (OR 17.2) and neonatal death for newborn growth restriction (NGR) based on Intergrowth (OR 19.1). Multivariate analysis showed that NGR is a stronger risk factor of neonatal death than SGA only. (4) Conclusions: HDP is significantly associated with growth abnormalities and is an independent risk factor of adverse outcomes. The presence of newborn growth restriction is strongly associated with the risk of neonatal death. The choice of growth chart has a substantial effect on the percentage of diagnosis of SGA and NGR.

The impact of pregnancy hypertension in the offspring endothelia remains unknown. We evaluated the transcriptional expression of four genes that participate in the process of endothelial dysfunction using umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures (HUVEC) from healthy pregnant women (PW) and those with hypertensive disorders (HD). The cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), gluthathione S-transferase subtype T1 (GSTT1), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8) mRNA and IL-6 protein levels were assessed. IL-6 and IL-8 transcripts were significantly reduced in HUVEC obtained from HD women. Our results suggest that a hypertensive environment in utero modifies the transcriptional expression of key inflammatory molecules in the newborn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Few studies have examined pre-pregnancy depression/anxiety and antidepressant/anxiolytic medication use in relation to hypertension disorders of pregnancy, i.e. chronic hypertension (CH), pre-eclampsia (PE), and gestational hypertension (GH).Methods: This nested case-control study uses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) claims data of women with singleton live birth pregnancies (2010-2014) enrolled from 2 years prior to last menstrual period to ninety days after delivery. All women with ICD-9CM codes for CH, PE, GH, or unspecified hypertension were included as cases; women without hypertension were randomly sampled as controls. Linkage to Michigan birthfiles resulted in a sample of 12,647 women. Using weighted logistic regression, cases and controls were compared for depression and/or anxiety diagnoses (ICD-9CM codes) and anti-depressant and/or anxiolytic prescriptions throughout the study period. Depression and anxiety were defined as primary diagnosis in ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient visits.Results: Among women with hypertension disorders of pregnancy, 59% had PE or GH, referred to here as pregnancy hypertension (PH). PH was associated with anti-depressant use prior to LMP only, (aOR = 1.2 95%CI 1.0, 1.5), continued use, (aOR = 1.4 95%CI 1.1, 1.7), and initiation of anxiolytic medication during pregnancy, (aOR = 2.5 95%CI 1.6, 4.2). In this latter group, 96% started medication before PH diagnosis. CH and PH were not associated with depression or anxiety in the absence of anti-depressants/anxiolytics.Conclusion: While anti-depressants/anxiolytics may be useful indicators in risk stratification for pregnancy hypertension, the same does not appear to be true for depression/anxiety without related medication use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fullPIERS model is a risk prediction model developed to predict adverse maternal outcomes within 48 h for women admitted with pre-eclampsia. External validation of the model is required before implementation for clinical use. We assessed the temporal and external validity of the fullPIERS model in high income settings using five cohorts collected between 2003 and 2016, from tertiary hospitals in Canada, the United States of America, Finland and the United Kingdom. The cohorts were grouped into three datasets for assessing the primary external, and temporal validity, and broader transportability of the model. The predicted risks of developing an adverse maternal outcome were calculated using the model equation and model performance was evaluated based on discrimination, calibration, and stratification. Our study included a total of 2429 women, with an adverse maternal outcome rate of 6.7%, 6.6%, and 7.0% in the primary external, temporal, and combined (broader) validation cohorts, respectively. The model had good discrimination in all datasets: 0.81 (95%CI 0.75-0.86), 0.82 (95%CI 0.76-0.87), and 0.75 (95%CI 0.71-0.80) for the primary external, temporal, and broader validation datasets, respectively. Calibration was best for the temporal cohort but poor in the broader validation dataset. The likelihood ratios estimated to rule in adverse maternal outcomes were high at a cut-off of ≥30% in all datasets. The fullPIERS model is temporally and externally valid and will be useful in the management of women with pre-eclampsia in high income settings although model recalibration is required to improve performance, specifically in the broader healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) certainly poses health problems that leads to increase mortality and can cause mental and physiological disturbances to the infants. Reduced organ perfusion is one of the etiologies of IUGR which is caused by placenta obstruction. This happens because of pregnancy hypertension as a risk factor. Furthermore, educational level, employment status, parity, and anemia are also its risk factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of IUGR and association between IUGR and pregnancy hypertension. Methods: A case control design was performed using medical records from Neonatology Department of Child Health at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung in 2012. Subjects were taken from 149 medical records of the mother who had IUGR and 149 normal birth weight infant information about the characteristics of the mothers and the infants. The data were collected and analyzed by calculating the Odds ratio (OR). Results: The prevalence of IUGR at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in 2012 was 149 cases (4.69%). There was association between pregnancy hypertension and IUGR with OR=1.72, 95% CI (1.044–2.836). Conclusions: Pregnancy hypertension is one of the risks that generates IUGR.

Blood butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity has been found to decrease during pregnancy and reportedly decrease even more in preeclampsia (PE). The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to answer a specific question of whether BChE activity (in the plasma, serum, or whole blood) is reduced in pregnant women suffering from PE compared to those with normal pregnancy. The meta-analysis included 15 studies with 20 records of BChE activity in 608 women compared to 569 healthy pregnant (control) ones. The studies were subjected to quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Using the Meta-Essentials software program 1.5, the one-group random effects model and forest plot revealed that the percentage of BChE activity in pregnant women with PE was 84.84% of the control value, with a standard error of 4.09 and 95% C.I. of 76.28, 93.41, indicating a significant 15.16% reduction in BChE activity in comparison to healthy pregnancy. No significant heterogeneity was seen in the analyzed data and the funnel plot did show publication bias. Subgroup (mild, severe, and unclassified PE) forest plot analysis revealed that the % BChE activities in PE compared to respective healthy pregnancies were 96.28%, 97.08%, and 76.62%, respectively with no heterogeneity. The median NOS score of the 15 studies included in the meta-analysis was 7, ranging from 5 to 8 (medium to high quality), and the forest plot showed an effect size of 0.735. This meta-analysis shows that BChE activity is reduced in PE compared with normal pregnancy and its value as a biomarker warrants further clinical studies., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Mohammad et al.)

Objective: To investigate the association between early-pregnancy weight gain and risk of preeclampsia to inform pregnancy weight gain recommendations.Study Design: We performed a case-cohort study using a hospital database including 80,812 singleton deliveries from Magee-Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1998-2011). In each of 6 prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) groups, we abstracted serial antenatal weight measurements from the records of up to 339 preeclampsia cases and 1254 randomly selected pregnancies. Early gestational weight gain (16-19 weeks' gestation) was standardized for gestational duration using BMI-specific z-score charts. Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to assess the association between weight gain z-score and risk of preeclampsia. We determined the impact of preeclampsia misclassification using probabilistic bias analysis.Main Outcome Measure: Risk of preeclampsia.Results: For normal weight women, there was a steady increase in preeclampsia risk with increasing early gestational weight gain z-score. For example, compared with a weight gain of 1.2 kg (z-score = -1 SD), a 7.2-kg weight gain (z-score = +1 SD) at 16 weeks was associated with 1.3 (0.50, 2.2) excess preeclampsia cases per 100 deliveries. Weight loss at 16-19 weeks among grade 2 or 3 obese women was associated with a reduced risk of preeclampsia. Associations were null among overweight and grade 1 obese women. The bias analysis supported the validity of the conventional analysis.Conclusions: Early-pregnancy weight gain may be associated with preeclampsia in some BMI groups. Future revisions of pregnancy weight gain recommendations should account for preeclampsia risks from this and additional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with impaired placentation, as evidenced by abnormal uterine artery (UtA) Doppler. In normal pregnancy, mean UtA pulsatility index (PI) shows a progressive decline with gestational age (GA). However, previous studies have reported that a proportion of pregnancies demonstrate worsening UtA Doppler in later pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of HDP according to the change in mean UtA-PI between the second and third trimesters.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies between March 1997 and March 2016 that underwent longitudinal UtA Doppler assessment in the second and third trimesters. All parameters were converted into centiles or multiples of the median (MoM), adjusting for GA. The study cohort was divided into two groups, according to change in mean UtA-PI between the second and third trimesters (those with a decrease or no change and those with an increase). HDP included women who developed pre-eclampsia and/or gestational hypertension. Logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders.Results: The analysis included 5887 pregnancies. The incidence of HDP was significantly higher in the group with increasing mean UtA-PI compared with those without (7.9% vs 5.8%; P = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that both third-trimester UtA-PI MoM (odds ratio (OR), 7.35; 95% CI, 4.66-11.6; P < 0.001) and stable or decrease in UtA-PI MoM between the second and third trimesters (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.31-0.60; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors for the development of HDP.Conclusion: Worsening of UtA Doppler is associated with HDP, independent of the value recorded in the second trimester. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé But de l’étude La pré-éclampsie (PE) est une cause majeure de morbi-mortalité maternelle et périnatale. Le traitement précoce par aspirine des femmes à risque diminue de façon significative la survenue d’une PE avant 37 semaines d’aménorrhée (SA), ce qui justifie la mise en place d’un dépistage précoce. Patientes et méthodes Un dépistage ciblé de la PE a récemment été mis en place au CHU de Toulouse pour les femmes enceintes primipares ou présentant des antécédents familiaux ou personnels. Nous utilisons l’algorithme de calcul de la Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) combinant les caractéristiques maternelles, les données cliniques, biophysiques et biochimiques ( PAPP-A, Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A, et PlGF, Placental Growth Factor ). Nous décrivons cette première population de femmes enceintes dépistées en France et comparons nos résultats avec ceux d’un mini-test excluant le PlGF et les données biophysiques. Résultats Entre octobre 2016 et septembre 2017, 500 femmes ont bénéficié de ce dépistage. Dans cette population ciblée, nous avons identifié 3,6 % ( n = 18) de femmes à risque de développer une PE avant 34 SA et 9,6 % ( n = 48) de femmes à risque de la développer entre 34 et 37 SA. Avec le mini-test, 10 femmes seulement sur 18 ont été dépistées à risque de PE précoce, soit 56 %. Conclusion Pour la première fois en France, nous rapportons le résultat d’un dépistage ciblé de la PE au premier trimestre avec l’algorithme de la FMF, décrivons la population testée et montrons que ce dépistage est plus performant que le mini-test proposé comme alternative. Goals Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Early treatment by aspirin has been shown to significantly reduce PE risk before 37 weeks supporting the implementation of first-trimester screening. Subjects and methods A targeted screening was recently implemented at Toulouse University Hospital for women in their first pregnancy or those with personal or familial history of PE. It uses Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm that combines maternal characteristics, clinical, biophysical and biochemical (PAPP-A, Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A, and PlGF, Placental Growth Factor) data. We describe this first population of pregnant women and compare our results with those of a mini-test that excludes PlGF and biophysical data. Results Between October 2016 and September 2017, 500 women have benefited from this screening. In such targeted population, we identified 3,6 % ( n = 18) of women at high risk to develop PE before 34 weeks and 9,6 % ( n = 48) of women at high risk to develop PE between 34 and 37 weeks. When we recalculated the risk using the mini-test, only 10 women (56 %) were identified at high risk of early PE. Conclusion For the first time in France, we report the result of a targeted screening of PE during the first trimester using the FMF algorithm. We describe the screened population and show that it is more efficient than the mini-test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Induction of labour (IOL) is a common procedure yet we have little information on the efficacy of the process for women with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP).Objective: To describe the birth type and associated factors in nulliparous HDP women undergoing an induction of labour.Study Design: Statutorily collected datasets on every birth and hospital admission which occurred in the state of NSW Australia between the years 2000-2011 were analysed. Hypertensive women were compared to normotensive women.Results: Of the nulliparous women, 9.9% had a HDP. IOL for HDP women were 56.2% in a cohort of 447 558 women. The AOR for a woman with a HDP undergoing an IOL resulting in a vaginal delivery when compared to a normotensive woman is 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.88). Prior to 33 weeks, the lowest perinatal mortality rates (PMR) are seen in women who undergo elective caesarean section (C/S). For women with preeclampsia (PE), lower PMR are seen in women who undergo IOL.Conclusion: For women with PE and SPE, IOL resulted in lower rates of vaginal delivery than spontaneous labour when compared to normotensive women who also underwent IOL. Women with PE at ≥33 weeks who underwent IOL had the lowest PMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypertension in pregnancy is one of the potential causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. It complicates 7-10% of pregnancies. As of today, prediction of pregnancy hypertension is not possible. Aim and Objectives: Evaluation of pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), free β-human chorionic gonadotropin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (INF-γ) in establishing a biomarker or combination of biomarkers for the early identification of pregnancy hypertension. Methodology: This prospective study was carried out in two phases. Phase I was a cohort study in which 2000 pregnant women were enrolled in their first trimester (11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks of gestation) and followed till delivery. Women who developed hypertension were compared with normotensive cohort (women who remained normotensive till term). Phase II was a case-control study. The women who were diagnosed with hypertension in phase I were cases and their controls were matched for gestational age and sample storage time from normotensive cohort population. Two additional proinflammatory markers TNF-α and INF-γ were evaluated in this case-control population. Results: Out of 2000 women, 199 women developed hypertension and 1454 women remained normotensive throughout their pregnancy. Among 199 hypertensive women, 151 (9.13%) cases had gestational hypertension, 45 (2.72%) had preeclampsia (PE) and 3 (0.18%) had eclampsia (E). First trimester mean arterial pressure (MAP) ( p < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) ( p < 0.001) were found significantly higher in hypertensive women when compared with normotensive women. Maternal serum levels of PAPP-A ( p < 0.001) were significantly low in hypertensive women as compared to normotensive women, while free β-hCG ( p = 0.59) was high, but the difference was not statistically significant. TNF-α ( p < 0.001) and INF-γ ( p = 0.014) both were high in hypertensive women. When all biomarkers were combined we found the positive predictive value (PPV) of 51.6% an negative predictive value (NPV) of 71.4%. Conclusion: Increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines suggest the role of underlying inflammation in pathogenesis of pregnancy hypertension, and low PAPP-A may be attributed to impaired implantation. Combining biomarkers may improve the prediction of pregnancy hypertension in the early stages of gestation. NPV of 71.4% depicts that if woman has all biomarkers in normal ranges during first trimester, she will have 71.4% chances of remaining normotensive during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether prior cesarean delivery is associated with occurrence of pregnancy hypertension. Methods: A prospective case-control study in consenting eligible consecutive 475 pregnancies with prior cesarean delivery and age- and parity-matched 475 pregnancies with previous vaginal delivery. Results were subjected to multiple logistical regression analysis. Results: Body mass index, birth interval, and neonatal birth weight were comparable between the study groups. In women with prior cesarean delivery, pregnancy-related hypertension was significantly higher [15.9% vs. 6.7% in those with prior vaginal delivery, p<0.05; odds ratio (OR), 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.707-4.072]. A higher proportion of women were found to develop hypertension by 32 weeks of pregnancy. In both the study groups, the development of pregnancy-related hypertension was found to be higher in the age group of 20-25 years, birth interval of >18 months, second gravidas, and in the gestation period between 32 and 36 weeks. Number of women with severe disease was higher in both the groups. Conclusion: Pregnancy-related hypertension is more common in women with prior cesarean delivery, and it occurs at earlier gestation weeks than in those without prior cesarean delivery. In multigravidas, severe forms of the disease are more common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effects and mechanisms of nifedipine combined with magnesiumsulfate on elderly pregnant with hypertension. Methods: A total of 54 elderly pregnant with hypertension of pregnancy fromour hospital were collected and randomly divided into the group A and groupB with 27 cases in each group. Patients in the group A were treated by 5%glucose injection 100 mL and 25%magnesium sulphate injection 20 mL intravenous drip, 30 min infusion; 5%glucose injection500ml added 40 mL 25% magnesium sulfate injection 1~2 g/h, intravenous drip; patients in the group B were treated on the basis of group A with nifedipine release tablets 30 mg oral, 1 time/day, 2 groups of patients were treated for 7 days. After treatment, the blood pressure, CRP, IL-6, TNF-α and proteinuria levels were compared between the two groups. Results: Compared with before treatment, the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, CRP, IL-6, TNF-αand proteinuria levels of both groups were significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.05); compared with group A, the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, CRP, IL-6, TNF-αand proteinuria levels of group B were obviously lower (P<0.05). Conclusions: Nifedipine combined with magnesium sulfate had better clinical efficacy in the treatment of elderly pregnant women with pregnancy hypertension, which might be relate to the reduce of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-αlevels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite documented effects on fetal brain development, little is currently known about the relationship between maternal pregnancy hypertension and child neuropsychological outcomes. This brief report examined the association between maternal hypertension during pregnancy and children’s social cognition and executive functioning when children were 18 months, 3 years, and 4.5 years. A community sample of 501 families (23 hypertensive mothers; 478 nonhypertensive) was recruited when children were newborns. Social cognition (including theory of mind [ToM]) and executive functioning (EF) were measured using a battery of age-appropriate standardized and/or observational tasks. Information on pregnancy and prenatal factors were measured via maternal report when children were newborns. After controlling for prenatal and demographic covariates, the presence of hypertension difficulties during pregnancy was associated with all measures of social cognition, ToM, and EF. A secondary analysis comparing the hypertension group (n = 23) to a nonhypertensive matched control group (n = 23) supported the effect of pregnancy hypertension on children’s social-cognitive and EF development. Future studies using obstetrical records are encouraged based on these preliminary findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disease that complicates many pregnancies, typically presenting with new-onset or worsening hypertension and proteinuria. It is well recognized that the placental syncytium plays a key role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This review summarizes the findings pertaining to the structural alterations in the syncytium of preeclamptic placentas and analyzes their pathological implications for the development of preeclampsia. Changes in the trophoblastic lineage, including those in the proliferation of cytotrophoblasts, the formation of syncytiotrophoblast through cell fusion, cell apoptosis and syncytial deportation, are discussed in the context of preeclampsia. Extensive correlations are made between functional deficiencies and the alterations on the levels of gross anatomy, tissue histology, cellular events, ultrastructure, molecular pathways, and gene expression. Attention is given to the significance of dynamic changes in the syncytial turnover in preeclamptic placentas. Specifically, experimental evidences for the complex and obligatory role of syncytin-1 in cell fusion, cell-cycle regulation at the G1/S transition, and apoptosis through AIF-mediated pathway, are discussed in detail in the context of syncytium homeostasis. Finally, the recent observations on the aberrant fibrin deposition in the trophoblastic layer and the trophoblast immature phenotype in preeclamptic placentas and their potential pathogenic impact are also reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]