first-trimester maternal ophthalmic artery Doppler for prediction of pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a condition of endothelial dysfunction and extensive vascular spasm that occurs after the twentieth week of pregnancy. The disease is clinically defined as hypertension and proteinuria, with or without pathological edema. Preeclampsia has dangerous complications both for the fetus and mother and the only definitive treatment is the termination of pregnancy. Present medical treatments can serve only to prevent complications such as seizure and cerebral hemorrhage in the mother as well as damage to the fetus. Early diagnosis of this condition can allow prompt initiation of treatment and have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of pregnancy complications. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of doppler ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy to predict the occurrence of preeclampsia in the later months of pregnancy. Methods and Materials: In this retrospective study, pregnant women who had referred to Al-Zahra and Taleghani hospitals for pregnancy care and were between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation were included in the study after obtaining informed written consent. They were examined with color Doppler ultrasound. Doppler parameters of Peak Systolic Velocity (PSV), End Diastolic Velocity (EDV), Resistance Index (RI), Pulsatility Index (PI) and Systolic Velocity / Diastolic Velocity Ratio (S/D) in the ophthalmic artery and uterine artery. were acquired from all the pregnant women included in the study. The medical records of the studied pregnant women were reviewed and the presence or absence of preeclampsia evaluated and recorded. Results: In this study, 160 pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy were included in the study and followed up. Eventually, 25 of them were diagnosed with preeclampsia. Only S/D, EDV and RI parameters of the uterine artery and PI of the ophthalmic artery could be predictors of preeclampsia in the later months of pregnancy. Decreased PI in ophthalmic artery and decreased S / D in uterine artery as well as increased EDV and RI in uterine artery were identified as risk factors for preeclampsia.