Severe preeclampsia is associated with postpartum diastolic dysfunction and non-dipping blood pressure profile pattern

Abstract

Abstract Background Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and non-dipping profile, detected by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), are two features recorded to be associated with sustained hypertension. Both are predictors of an increased cardiovascular morbidity later in life. Complete normalization of blood pressure (BP) in preeclampsia is detected over a variable period of time. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital including normotensive women with a history of preeclampsia in the current pregnancy enrolled within the first week postpartum. All cases were subjected to 24 h-ABPM and 2D trans-thoracic echocardiography three months post postpartum concomitantly with a clinical evaluation. Chi2-test was used to compare the qualitative data while student t-test was used to compare the quantitative data. Multivariate regression analysis was used for prediction of non-dippers and diastolic dysfunction in our cohort. Results Hundred twenty eight women were included in the study. Their mean age was 28.6±5.1 years and the mean basal BP was 123.1±6.4/74.6±5.9 mm Hg. Out of the studied women, 90 (70.3%) women were dippers and 38 (29.7%) women were non-dippers. It was noticed that diastolic dysfunction was presented in 28 (73.7%) of non-dippers while none of dippers had diastolic dysfunction. Women with severe preeclampsia had higher frequency of non-dipper (35.5% vs. 24.2%; P=0.02) and diastolic dysfunction (29% vs. 15%; P=0.01) in comparison to those women with mild preeclampsia. Severe preeclampsia and previous history of preeclampsia were significant predictors for non-dipping status (OR=1.1, 95% CI: 0.05–10.56 and 1.4, 95% CI: 0.30–4.26 respectively, R2 = 0.7; P<0.001). They were also predictors for diastolic dysfunction in our studied population (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.2 and 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2–2.2 respectively, R2 = 0.6; P<0.05). Conclusion Women with a history of preeclampsia have the risk for developing cardiovascular events later in life. The severity and recurrence of preeclampsia were significant predictors for both non-dipping profile and diastolic dysfunction. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Orman Heart Hospital-Assiut University; Women Health Hospital-Assiut University