P-689: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, uterine resistances and cardiovascular tests as predictors of pregnancy-induced hypertension

• Published in: American journal of hypertension 2001-04, Vol.14 (S1), p.260A-260A
• Main Authors: Franconi, Giovanna, Valensise, Herbert, Capria, Ambrogio, Ciamei, Angela, Frongillo, Doriana, Antonucci, Fabiola, Romanini, Carlo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Heart rate variability; Pregnancy
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1941-7225; 1879-1905
• DOI: 10.1016/S0895-7061(01)02037-4

Several blood pressure (BP) and autonomic abnormalities have been associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) but no noninvasive method has been identified as able to predict the development of PIH. In the present study we examined prospectively 45 consecutive normotensive pregnant women aged 29.9 + 3.3 years at 27 + 4 gestational week, referred to an institutional tertiary care referral center for known risk factors for developing PIH: pre-eclampsia and/or intrauterine growth retardation in previous pregnancy, or abnormal laboratory tests in present pregnancy (hypocalcemia, hyperuricemia). The following tests were performed: echo-Doppler of uterine arteries to evaluate utero-placental resistance index (URI), ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to measure the systolic and diastolic MESOR (Midline Estimating Statistic of Rhythm) defined as the average value of the rhythmic function fitted to the blood pressure data, cardiovascular tests to evaluate the autonomic nervous function (Valsalva manoeuvre, deep breathing test, lying-to-standing test, cold pressor test, isometric handgrip, and power spectral analysis of heart rate variability). Unpaired t test was used to evaluate differences between normotensive and hypertensive women. The logistic regression model with backward selection was used to estimate the probability of PIH. Eighteen women (40 %) developed gestational hypertension. Compared to normotensives, women who developed PIH showed higher systolic (120 ± 6 vs. 114 ± 8 mm Hg respectively; p