The Role of Headache in the Classification and Management of Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy

Stroke vs. Preeclampsia: Dangerous Liaisons of Hypertension and Pregnancy

Stroke during pregnancy and preeclampsia are two distinct but interrelated medical conditions, sharing a common denominator-blood control failure. Along with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypercoagulability, hypertension is undoubtedly a major risk factor associated with stroke. Even though men have higher age-specific stroke rates, women are facing higher life-long stroke risk, primarily due to longer life expectancy. Sex hormones, especially estrogen and testosterone, seem to play a key link in the chain of blood pressure control differences between the genders. Women affected with stroke are more susceptible to experience some atypical stroke manifestations, which might eventually lead to delayed diagnosis establishment, and result in higher morbidity and mortality rates in the population of women. Preeclampsia is a part of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy spectrum, and it is common knowledge that women with a positive history of preeclampsia are at increased stroke risk during their lifetime. Preeclampsia and stroke display similar pathophysiological patterns, including hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, hypercoagulability, and cerebral vasomotor reactivity abnormalities. High-risk pregnancies carrying the burden of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy have up to a six-fold higher chance of suffering from stroke. Resemblance shared between placental and cerebral vascular changes, adaptations, and sophisticated auto-regulatory mechanisms are not merely coincidental, but they reflect distinctive and complex cardiovascular performances occurring in the maternal circulatory system during pregnancy. Placental and cerebral malperfusion appears to be in the midline of both of these conditions; placental malperfusion eventually leads to preeclampsia, and cerebral to stoke. Suboptimal performances of the cardiovascular system are proposed as a primary cause of uteroplacental malperfusion. Placental dysfunction is therefore designated as a secondary condition, initiated by the primary disturbances of the cardiovascular system, rather than an immunological disorder associated with abnormal trophoblast invasion. In most cases, with properly and timely applied measures of prevention, stroke is predictable, and preeclampsia is a controllable condition. Understanding the differences between preeclampsia and stroke in pregnancy is vital for healthcare providers to enhance their clinical decision-making strategies, improve patient care, and promote positive maternal and pregnancy outcomes. Management approaches for preeclampsia and stroke require a multidisciplinary approach involving obstetricians, neurologists, and other healthcare professionals.

Determination of the Frequency of Migraine Attacks in Pregnant Women and the Ways They Cope with Headaches: A Cross-Sectional Study

One out of every five women of reproductive age suffers from migraine. Although headaches subside in most women during pregnancy, attacks continue and even worsen in some women. Pregnant women try to relieve pain with medication or non-pharmacological treatment methods. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the incidence of migraine attacks in pregnant women diagnosed with migraine and the ways they cope with headaches. The study included 191 pregnant women who were diagnosed with migraine in the pre-pregnancy period. McNemar analysis was performed to test the relationship between descriptive statistical methods and categorical variables when the data were analyzed. The mean gestational age of the participants was 28.31 ± 8.64 weeks, and their mean age at the onset of migraine was 20.74 ± 5.63 years. The comparison of the duration, frequency, and severity of headaches suffered before and during pregnancy demonstrated that there were statistical differences between them (p < 0.05). The frequency of using methods such as taking painkillers, resting in a dark room, and having cold application and massage to relieve headaches before pregnancy decreased statistically significantly during pregnancy (p < 0.05). As a result, the frequency and severity of migraines decrease during pregnancy. The tendency to resort to pharmacological or non-pharmacological methods used to relieve headaches decreases during pregnancy. Although migraine has many adverse effects on pregnancy, pregnant women do not demand satisfactory information from health professionals about migraine headaches during pregnancy.

Preeclampsia: Narrative review for clinical use

Aim

Preeclampsia is a very complex multisystem disorder characterized by mild to severe hypertension.

Methods

PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 1, 2002 to March 31, 2022, with the search terms "pre-eclampsia" and "hypertensive disorders in pregnancy". We also look for guidelines from international societies and clinical specialty colleges and we focused on publications made after 2015.

Results

The primary issue associated with this physiopathology is a reduction in utero-placental perfusion and ischemia. Preeclampsia has a multifactorial genesis, its focus in prevention consists of the identification of high and moderate-risk clinical factors. The clinical manifestations of preeclampsia vary from asymptomatic to fatal complications for both the fetus and the mother. In severe cases, the mother may present renal, neurological, hepatic, or vascular disease. The main prevention strategy is the use of aspirin at low doses, started from the beginning to the end of the second trimester and maintained until the end of pregnancy.

Conclusion

Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder; we do not know how to predict it accurately. Acetylsalicylic acid at low doses to prevent a low percentage, especially in patients with far from term preeclampsia. There is evidence that exercising for at least 140 min per week reduces gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Currently, the safest approach is the termination of pregnancy. It is necessary to improve the prediction and prevention of preeclampsia, in addition, better research is needed in the long-term postpartum follow-up.

Performance of a Multianalyte 'Rule-Out' Assay in Pregnant Individuals With Suspected Preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

The ability to diagnose preeclampsia clinically is suboptimal. Our objective was to validate a novel multianalyte assay and characterize its performance, when intended for use as an aid to rule-out preeclampsia.

METHODS

Prospective, multicenter cohort study of pregnant individuals presenting between 280/7 and 366/7 weeks' with preeclampsia-associated signs and symptoms. Individuals not diagnosed with preeclampsia after baseline evaluation were enrolled in the study cohort, with those who later developed preeclampsia, classified as cases and compared with a negative control group who did not develop preeclampsia. Individuals with assay values at time of enrollment ≥0.0325, determined using a previously developed algorithm, considered at risk. The primary analysis was the time to develop preeclampsia assessed using a multivariate Cox regression model.

RESULTS

One thousand thirty-six pregnant individuals were enrolled in the study cohort with an incidence of preeclampsia of 30.3% (27.6%-33.2%). The time to develop preeclampsia was shorter for those with an at-risk compared with negative assay result (log-rank P<0.0001; adjusted hazard ratio of 4.81 [3.69-6.27, P<0.0001]). The performance metrics for the assay to rule-out preeclampsia within 7 days of enrollment showed a sensitivity 76.4% (67.5%-83.5%), negative predictive value 95.0% (92.8%-96.6%), and negative likelihood ratio 0.46 (0.32-0.65). Assay performance improved if delivery occurred <37 weeks and for individuals enrolled between 28 and 35 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed that a novel multianalyte assay was associated with the time to develop preeclampsia and has a moderate sensitivity and negative likelihood ratio but high negative predictive value when assessed as an aid to rule out preeclampsia within 7 days of enrollment.

REGISTRATION

The study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier NCT02780414).

Improving preeclampsia risk prediction by modeling pregnancy trajectories from routinely collected electronic medical record data

Preeclampsia is a heterogeneous and complex disease associated with rising morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and newborns in the US. Early recognition of patients at risk is a pressing clinical need to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes. We assessed whether information routinely collected in electronic medical records (EMR) could enhance the prediction of preeclampsia risk beyond what is achieved in standard of care assessments. We developed a digital phenotyping algorithm to curate 108,557 pregnancies from EMRs across the Mount Sinai Health System, accurately reconstructing pregnancy journeys and normalizing these journeys across different hospital EMR systems. We then applied machine learning approaches to a training dataset (N = 60,879) to construct predictive models of preeclampsia across three major pregnancy time periods (ante-, intra-, and postpartum). The resulting models predicted preeclampsia with high accuracy across the different pregnancy periods, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of 0.92, 0.82, and 0.89 at 37 gestational weeks, intrapartum and postpartum, respectively. We observed comparable performance in two independent patient cohorts. While our machine learning approach identified known risk factors of preeclampsia (such as blood pressure, weight, and maternal age), it also identified other potential risk factors, such as complete blood count related characteristics for the antepartum period. Our model not only has utility for earlier identification of patients at risk for preeclampsia, but given the prediction accuracy exceeds what is currently achieved in clinical practice, our model provides a path for promoting personalized precision therapeutic strategies for patients at risk.

Conformation-dependent anti-Aβ monoclonal antibody signatures of disease status and severity in urine of women with preeclampsia

Prior research has shown that urine of women with preeclampsia (PE) contains amyloid-like aggregates that are congophilic (exhibit affinity for the amyloidophilic dye Congo red) and immunoreactive with A11, a polyclonal serum against prefibrillar β-amyloid oligomers, thereby supporting pathogenic similarity between PE and protein conformational disorders such as Alzheimer's and prion disease. The objective of this study was to interrogate PE urine using monoclonal antibodies with previously characterized A11-like epitopes. Over 100 conformation-dependent monoclonals were screened and three (mA11-09, mA11-89, and mA11-205) selected for further confirmation in 196 urine samples grouped as follows: severe features PE (sPE, n = 114), PE without severe features (mPE, n = 30), chronic hypertension (crHTN, n = 14) and normotensive pregnant control (P-CRL, n = 38). We showed that the selected conformation-specific monoclonals distinguished among patients with varying severities of PE from P-CRL and patients with crHTN. By use of latent class analysis (LCA) we identified three classes of subjects: Class 1 (n = 94) comprised patients whose urine was both congophilic and reactive with the monoclonals. These women were more likely diagnosed with early-onset sPE and had severe hypertension and proteinuria; Class 2 patients (n = 55) were negative for congophilia and against the antibodies. These were predominantly P-CRL and crHTN patients. Lastly, Class 3 patients (n = 48) were positive for urine congophilia, albeit at lower intensity, but negative for monoclonal immunoreactivities. These women were diagnosed primarily as mPE or late-onset sPE. Collectively, our study validates conformation-dependent Aβ imunoreactivity of PE urine which in conjunction to urine congophilia may represent an additional indicator of disease severity.

The Relationship Between Peripartum Cardiomyopathy and Preeclampsia – Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Management

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a condition with an incompletely understood etiology, although many risk factors for this disorder have been mentioned. Preeclampsia (PE) is a rare but undoubtedly very important cause of PPCM. Early recognition and prompt treatment of preeclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy are essential to optimize pregnancy outcomes. An extensive manual search of major electronic databases was conducted in November 2021. The following literature review provides a comprehensive discussion of peripartum cardiomyopathy and preeclampsia and quantifies the prevalence of PE in women with PPCM. The authors highlighted aspects such as epidemiology, risk factors, cardiovascular changes, diagnosis and clinical presentation, and management and complications. Accumulating data indicate that both conditions have a similar pathogenesis characterized by vascular abnormalities. In both conditions we can observe an increase in interleukin-6 and gamma interferon, CCL2/MCP1, and decreased SOD activity. sFLT1 (a soluble form of fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), a substance with antiangiogenic and probably cardiotoxic effects, may be important. Preeclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy are characterized by recurrence rates that follow a similar pattern in subsequent pregnancies, and mortality remains a concern. Our analysis highlights the need to better understand the co-morbidity of PE and PPCM, and the need to qualify patients for the same clinical trials because of the common origin of these conditions.

Headache as a Neurologic Manifestation of Systemic Disease

Purpose of Review

Recent Findings

Summary

Eclampsia in the 21st century

The reported incidence of eclampsia is 1.6 to 10 per 10,000 deliveries in developed countries, whereas it is 50 to 151 per 10,000 deliveries in developing countries. In addition, low-resource countries have substantially higher rates of maternal and perinatal mortalities and morbidities. This disparity in incidence and pregnancy outcomes may be related to universal access to prenatal care, early detection of preeclampsia, timely delivery, and availability of healthcare resources in developed countries compared to developing countries. Because of its infrequency in developed countries, many obstetrical providers and maternity units have minimal to no experience in the acute management of eclampsia and its complications. Therefore, clear protocols for prevention of eclampsia in those with severe preeclampsia and acute treatment of eclamptic seizures at all levels of healthcare are required for better maternal and neonatal outcomes. Eclamptic seizure will occur in 2% of women with preeclampsia with severe features who are not receiving magnesium sulfate and in <0.6% in those receiving magnesium sulfate. The pathogenesis of an eclamptic seizure is not well understood; however, the blood-brain barrier disruption with the passage of fluid, ions, and plasma protein into the brain parenchyma remains the leading theory. New data suggest that blood-brain barrier permeability may increase by circulating factors found in preeclamptic women plasma, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor. The management of an eclamptic seizure will include supportive care to prevent serious maternal injury, magnesium sulfate for prevention of recurrent seizures, and promoting delivery. Although routine imagining following an eclamptic seizure is not recommended, the classic finding is referred to as the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Most patients with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome will show complete resolution of the imaging finding within 1 to 2 weeks, but routine imaging follow-up is unnecessary unless there are findings of intracranial hemorrhage, infraction, or ongoing neurologic deficit. Eclampsia is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality and morbidity, such as placental abruption, disseminated intravascular coagulation, pulmonary edema, aspiration pneumonia, cardiopulmonary arrest, and acute renal failure. Furthermore, a history of eclamptic seizures may be related to long-term cardiovascular risk and cognitive difficulties related to memory and concentration years after the index pregnancy. Finally, limited data suggest that placental growth factor levels in women with preeclampsia are superior to clinical markers in prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This data may be extrapolated to the prediction of eclampsia in future studies. This summary of available evidence provides data and expert opinion on possible pathogenesis of eclampsia, imaging findings, differential diagnosis, and stepwise approach regarding the management of eclampsia before delivery and after delivery as well as current recommendations for the prevention of eclamptic seizures in women with preeclampsia.

Postpartum preeclampsia or eclampsia: defining its place and management among the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

High blood pressure in the postpartum period is most commonly seen in women with antenatal hypertensive disorders, but it can develop de novo in the postpartum time frame. Whether postpartum preeclampsia or eclampsia represents a separate entity from preeclampsia or eclampsia with antepartum onset is unclear. Although definitions vary, the diagnosis of postpartum preeclampsia should be considered in women with new-onset hypertension 48 hours to 6 weeks after delivery. New-onset postpartum preeclampsia is an understudied disease entity with few evidence-based guidelines to guide diagnosis and management. We propose that new-onset hypertension with the presence of any severe features (including severely elevated blood pressure in women with no history of hypertension) be referred to as postpartum preeclampsia after exclusion of other etiologies to facilitate recognition and timely management. Older maternal age, black race, maternal obesity, and cesarean delivery are all associated with a higher risk of postpartum preeclampsia. Most women with delayed-onset postpartum preeclampsia present within the first 7 to 10 days after delivery, most frequently with neurologic symptoms, typically headache. The cornerstones of treatment include the use of antihypertensive agents, magnesium, and diuresis. Postpartum preeclampsia may be associated with a higher risk of maternal morbidity than preeclampsia with antepartum onset, yet it remains an understudied disease process. Future research should focus on the pathophysiology and specific risk factors. A better understanding is imperative for patient care and counseling and anticipatory guidance before hospital discharge and is important for the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality in the postpartum period.

Meningioma during pregnancy: what can influence the management? A case series and review of the literature

Purpose: Meningioma is a benign tumor, more frequent in female population. During pregnancy, distinguishing a meningioma from other common conditions presenting with similar symptoms (headache, vomiting, visual impairment) is challenging. Moreover, the management must consider not only maternal but also fetal health. The rarity of the condition does not allow to define the features to which look in order to stratify the risk for the need of surgery during pregnancy. We reported three cases of meningioma in pregnant women treated at our department and reviewed those previously reported in the literature. The aim of this review is to evaluate which factors are more determinant in such management.Methods: Electronic databases were searched from year 2000 until June 2020, to identify clinical studies on management of meningioma diagnosed during pregnancy. The primary outcome was surgical timing. Secondary outcomes were delivery methods, maternal and neonatal outcomes.Results: Surgery after pregnancy is more frequently performed in PR + tumor (p-value 0.038) and with HA (p-value 0.0445), as well as in meningioma diagnosed during the third trimester, compared to those diagnosed before (p-value 0.0012). Surgery during pregnancy was more frequent in patients with visual loss (p-value 0.006). No significant differences were found in surgical management, according to age, WHO grade, tumor location, lesion diameter and ER positivity. Delivery method is independent from both hormonal receptor status and main symptoms, but women who had neurosurgery during pregnancy delivered more frequently with spontaneous vaginal delivery (p-value <0.01).Conclusion: The decision regarding surgical timing of meningioma diagnosed during pregnancy depends on PR + and impending symptoms as visual loss or headache. It seems that timing of neurosurgery does not affect the delivery method. A multidisciplinary approach is always useful to perform a rapid and appropriate diagnosis and to better evaluate pros and cons of surgery during pregnancy and following management both for maternal and fetal wellness.

Edema associated with low plasma protein level and any gestational hypertension as warning signs of HELLP syndrome

Purpose: Because preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder, its definition has recently been revised, including cases with evidence of renal, liver, neurological, or hematological dysfunction. However, the role of edema remains unclear. While the presence of mild edema is common in normal pregnancy, in severe preeclampsia protein transfer from the vascular into the interstitial compartment could lead to low serum protein level and favor the transport of fluid to the interstitial compartment.Materials and methods, Results: Over a 4-year period, 9749 women have given birth in our university maternity ward. In this period of time, 86 women developed severe preeclampsia. Among them, we retrospectively identified nine patients who first presented with mild de novo hypertension or preeclampsia, extensive edema or excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), and documented low serum protein levels; five patients also reported headache. Serum protein levels ranged from 51 to 56 g/l. We analyzed the progression of the disease in these women, and found that these patients developed criteria for complete or partial hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome in four and five cases, respectively. All patients were delivered quickly of healthy babies, and no other maternal adverse outcomes occurred.Discussion: As plasma proteins are the primary determinants of plasmatic colloid osmotic pressure (COP), headache in association with edema, low serum protein levels, and even mild hypertension, could reflect cerebral vasogenic edema with the same mechanism as for cerebral edema reported in posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and eclampsia. Thus, the sequential association of edema or excessive GWG with markedly low serum protein levels and mild gestational hypertension could signal the imminent development of severe preeclampsia and possibly HELLP syndrome. This sequence should be assessed in additional large-scale prospective studies.

Correlation between cerebral biomarkers and optic nerve sheath diameter in patients with severe preeclampsia

Objective: To examine the correlation between plasma cerebral biomarkers (S100B and neuron-specific enolase (NSE)) and ultrasonographic optic-nerve-sheath-diameter (ONSD) in preeclampsia. Methods: Thirty preeclampsia patients and 27 controls were included. Mann-Whitney-U test was used for comparison of S100B, NSE, and ONSD in preeclampsia vs. controls. Kendall's tau was used to assess the correlation between biomarkers and ONSD (p < 0.05 significant). Results: ONSD, S100B and NSE were significantly higher in preeclampsia (p < 0.001, p = 0.004, and p < 0.001, respectively). There was significant correlation between NSE levels and ONSD: Kendall's tau = 0.26; p = 0.01. Conclusions: S100B and NSE are elevated in severe preeclampsia. NSE correlates with increased ONSD suggesting cerebral edema.

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy: are outcomes the same in patients on antihypertensives?. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020;35:3694-3699. [PMID: 33092413 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1837771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate differences in maternal and fetal outcomes among pregnant patients with chronic hypertension requiring antihypertensives for adequate control versus those who do not require antihypertensives.

STUDY DESIGN

Single-site retrospective cohort study including pregnant patients with chronic hypertension from 2015-2018. Two groups included those who required antihypertensives versus those who did not. Primary outcome is composite morbidity: pregnancy loss after 20 weeks, IUGR, maternal death, maternal stroke or TIA, pulmonary edema, renal failure, hypertensive emergency, HELLP syndrome, placental abruption or delivery before 34 weeks. Secondary outcomes included development of severe features, indication for preterm labor less than 37 weeks, incidence of severe range blood pressures, and neonatal outcomes. Student t, chi square, and Kruskal-Wallis tests where appropriate. Logistic regression used to account for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Study cohort included 117 on antihypertensives and 114 not on antihypertensives. Use of antihypertensives was associated with the composite primary outcome (Odds ratio [OR], 3.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-9.78). Use of antihypertensive medications was also associated with increased risk of prenatal diagnosis of IUGR, delivery prior to 34 weeks, development of severe features, severe blood pressure during pregnancy, earlier mean gestational age at delivery, lower mean birth weight, and higher risk of NICU admission. Logistic regression analysis showed that the association between medication requirement and our composite primary outcome persisted even after adjustment for age, BMI, and presence of gestational diabetes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings show an association between the requirement of antihypertensive medication use a significantly higher risk of composite primary outcome, prenatal diagnosis of IUGR, delivery prior to 34 weeks, and the development of severe features.

A Proposed Plan for Prenatal Care to Minimize Risks of COVID-19 to Patients and Providers: Focus on Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders are the most common medical complications of pregnancy and a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and death. The detection of elevated blood pressure during pregnancy is one of the cardinal aspects of optimal antenatal care. With the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the risk for person-to-person spread of the virus, there is a desire to minimize unnecessary visits to health care facilities. Women should be classified as low risk or high risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and adjustments can be accordingly made in the frequency of maternal and fetal surveillance. During this pandemic, all pregnant women should be encouraged to obtain a sphygmomanometer. Patients monitored for hypertension as an outpatient should receive written instructions on the important signs and symptoms of disease progression and provided contact information to report the development of any concern for change in status. As the clinical management of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia is the same, assessment of urinary protein is unnecessary in the management once a diagnosis of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy is made. Pregnant women with suspected hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and signs and symptoms associated with the severe end of the disease spectrum (e.g., headaches, visual symptoms, epigastric pain, and pulmonary edema) should have an evaluation including complete blood count, serum creatinine level, and liver transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase). Further, if there is any evidence of disease progression or if acute severe hypertension develops, prompt hospitalization is suggested. Current guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) for management of preeclampsia with severe features suggest delivery after 34 ^0/7 weeks of gestation. With the outbreak of COVID-19, however, adjustments to this algorithm should be considered including delivery by 30 ^0/7 weeks of gestation in the setting of preeclampsia with severe features. KEY POINTS: · Outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) warrants fewer office visits.. · Women should be classified for hypertension risk in pregnancy.. · Earlier delivery suggested with COVID-19 and hypertensive disorder..

Preeclampsia, eclampsia, and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Preeclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy associated with gestational hypertension and end-organ dysfunction. Patients with eclampsia, by definition, have seizures as part of the clinical syndrome. However, patients with preeclampsia can also have other neurologic symptoms and deficits. Both disorders can be associated with radiographic abnormalities similar to that of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, suggesting a common pathophysiology or unified clinical spectrum of disorders. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and prognosis of patients with neurologic complications associated with preeclampsia and eclampsia.

Clinical Utility of Weekly Laboratory Testing in the Outpatient Management of Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension

Objective  To investigate the utility of obtaining weekly laboratory testing in patients managed as an outpatient for gestational hypertension and preeclampsia without severe features. Study Design  A multisite retrospective cohort study was performed evaluating preterm women diagnosed with gestational hypertension/preeclampsia managed in an outpatient setting between gestational ages of 23 ^0/7 and 36 ^6/7 . Patients were divided into two groups: weekly laboratory evaluation (laboratories group) and a no laboratories group. The primary study outcome was composite maternal morbidity including more than one of the following: development of severe features, HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, placental abruption, maternal intensive care unit admission, or maternal death. Results  A total of 204 patients were included in this study, laboratories group ( n  = 120) and no laboratories group ( n  = 84). The laboratories group was older (28.8 vs. 26.6 years, p  = 0.02), had a higher rate of chronic hypertension (44 [36.7%] vs. 17 [20.2%], p  = 0.01), and more often experienced the primary composite outcome (53 [44.2%] vs. 24 [28.5%], p  = 0.02). No patients in our cohort were delivered for abnormal laboratory values. Conclusion  This study found that weekly laboratory testing may have minimal clinical utility in the outpatient management protocol in monitoring patients with mild gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. Delivery was guided by other clinical factors.

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 202: Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy constitute one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. It has been estimated that preeclampsia complicates 2-8% of pregnancies globally (). In Latin America and the Caribbean, hypertensive disorders are responsible for almost 26% of maternal deaths, whereas in Africa and Asia they contribute to 9% of deaths. Although maternal mortality is much lower in high-income countries than in developing countries, 16% of maternal deaths can be attributed to hypertensive disorders (). In the United States, the rate of preeclampsia increased by 25% between 1987 and 2004 (). Moreover, in comparison with women giving birth in 1980, those giving birth in 2003 were at 6.7-fold increased risk of severe preeclampsia (). This complication is costly: one study reported that in 2012 in the United States, the estimated cost of preeclampsia within the first 12 months of delivery was $2.18 billion ($1.03 billion for women and $1.15 billion for infants), which was disproportionately borne by premature births (). This Practice Bulletin will provide guidelines for the diagnosis and management of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

The Hypertensive Headache: a Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview and update on the common causes of headache attributed to arterial hypertension with a focus on secondary headache disorders. We will also highlight uncommon and recent findings in this area of research.

RECENT FINDINGS

There is some controversy in the relationship between chronic hypertension and headache, particularly migraine; recent research suggests that there may be a link, but it is likely complex and multifactorial. Many recent studies and case reports demonstrate that the pathophysiology underlying the onset of headache as it relates to abrupt rises in blood pressure seems to lie at the cellular level and mechanically becomes an issue with disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Although not a formally defined headache entity, carotid revascularization syndrome demonstrates this phenomenon and also has a recent set of proposed criteria that include headache and elevated blood pressure. This paper reviews the various etiologies of hypertensive headaches, mostly in regard to headache as a secondary symptom of elevated blood pressure. We will also discuss trends of hypertensive headache in pregnancy. Finally, we will touch on controversy that exists in relation to chronic hypertension and its causal relationship to headache as well as the relationship between hypertension and migraine.

Postpartum Headache

Approximately 40% of all women report experiencing headaches during the postpartum period, regardless of a previous headache history. This case narrative describes the clinical case of a 22-year-old woman who presented for the evaluation of an intractable headache for 2½ weeks. It demonstrates the inherent difficulty in diagnosing patients not presenting with "textbook" symptoms and highlights the fact that signs and symptoms of eclampsia/preeclampsia, such as elevated blood pressure, may fall below the threshold for hypertensive emergencies and not be considered in the differential. Emergency department providers must possess a strong knowledge base and skill set to recognize subtle presentations and direct care accordingly to ensure positive patient outcomes.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Overview and Current Recommendations

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia-eclampsia, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia. These disorders are an important cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although advances in effective treatments have been made, current research has yet to identify a biochemical or diagnostic imaging marker to reliably predict preeclampsia. Despite current guidelines that address diagnosis and management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, health care providers may overlook or be unaware of signs that require immediate evaluation and treatment. This article reviews the definitions of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, diagnosis, pathophysiology of preeclampsia, indications for treatment, neurologic sequelae, and counseling about the implications of hypertension in pregnancy for subsequent health.

Validation of an emergency triage scale for obstetrics and gynaecology: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the reliability of a four-level triage scale for obstetrics and gynaecology emergencies and to explore the factors associated with an optimal triage.

DESIGN

Thirty clinical vignettes presenting the most frequent indications for obstetrics and gynaecology emergency consultations were evaluated twice using a computerised simulator.

SETTING

The study was performed at the emergency unit of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Geneva University Hospitals.

SAMPLE

The vignettes were submitted to nurses and midwives.

METHODS

We assessed inter- and intra-rater reliability and agreement using a two-way mixed-effects intra-class correlation (ICC). We also performed a generalised linear mixed model to evaluate factors associated triage correctness.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Triage acuity.

RESULTS

We obtained a total of 1191 evaluations. Inter-rater reliability was good (ICC 0.748; 95% CI 0.633-0.858) and intra-rater reliability was almost perfect (ICC 0.812; 95% CI 0.726-0.889). We observed a wide variability: the mean number of questions varied from 6.9 to 18.9 across individuals and from 8.4 to 16.9 across vignettes. Triage acuity was underestimated in 12.4% of cases and overestimated in 9.3%. Undertriage occurred less frequently for gynaecology compared with obstetric vignettes [odds ratio (OR) 0.45; 95% CI 0.23-0.91; P = 0.035] and decreased with the number of questions asked (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.88-0.99; P = 0.047). Certification in obstetrics and gynaecology emergencies was an independent factor for the avoidance of undertriage (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.17-0.70; P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

The four-level triage scale is a valid and reliable tool for the integrated emergency management of obstetrics and gynaecology patients.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

The Swiss Emergency Triage Scale is a valid and reliable tool for obstetrics and gynaecology emergency triage.

Vertebral artery dissection in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Arterial dissection is a rare complication of pregnancy and puerperium. There have been reports of aortic, coronary and cervical artery dissection in association with preeclampsia, however, vertebral artery dissection is rarely reported particularly in the antenatal setting in the presence of a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy (HDP).The general annual incidence of symptomatic spontaneous cervicocephalic arterial dissection is 0.0026 % and a data registry reported that 2.4 % of these occurred in the post-partum period. The actual incidence of vertebral artery dissection in HDP is unknown as the current literature consists of case series and reports only with most documenting adverse outcomes. Given the presence of collateral circulation, unilateral vertebral artery dissections may go unrecognised and may be more common than suspected.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a case series of four patients with vertebral artery dissection in association with HDP, two of which occurred in the antenatal setting and two in the post-partum setting. All our patients had favourable outcome with no maternal neurological deficit and live infants. Our discussion covers the proposed pathophysiology of vertebral artery dissection in HDP and the management of it.

CONCLUSION

Our case series highlights the need to consider VAD an important differential diagnosis when assessing pregnant women with headache and neck pain particularly in the context of HDP.

Health care seeking behaviours in pregnancy in rural Sindh, Pakistan: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Pakistan has alarmingly high numbers of maternal mortality along with suboptimal care-seeking behaviour. It is essential to identify the barriers and facilitators that women and families encounter, when deciding to seek maternal care services. This study aimed to understand health-seeking patterns of pregnant women in rural Sindh, Pakistan.

METHODS

A qualitative study was undertaken in rural Sindh, Pakistan as part of a large multi-country study in 2012. Thirty three focus group discussions and 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with mothers [n = 173], male decision-makers [n = 64], Lady Health Workers [n = 64], Lady Health Supervisors [n = 10], Women Medical Officers [n = 9] and Traditional Birth Attendants [n = 7] in the study communities. A set of a priori themes regarding care-seeking during pregnancy and its complications as well as additional themes as they emerged from the data were used for analysis. Qualitative analysis was done using NVivo version 10.

RESULTS

Women stated they usually visited health facilities if they experienced pregnancy complications or danger signs, such as heavy bleeding or headache. Findings revealed the importance of husbands and mothers-in-law as decision makers regarding health care utilization. Participants expressed that poor availability of transport, financial constraints and the unavailability of chaperones were important barriers to seeking care. In addition, private facilities were often preferred due to the perceived superior quality of services.

CONCLUSION

Maternal care utilization was influenced by social, economic and cultural factors in rural Pakistani communities. The perceived poor quality care at public hospitals was a significant barrier for many women in accessing health services. If maternal lives are to be saved, policy makers need to develop processes to overcome these barriers and ensure easily accessible high-quality care for women in rural communities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01911494.