Independent Determinants of Maternal and Fetal Outcomes in a Sample of Pregnant Outpatients With Normal Blood Pressure, Chronic Hypertension, Gestational Hypertension, and Preeclampsia

Vitamin D Deficiency as a Risk Factor of Preeclampsia during Pregnancy

A balanced diet is achieved not only via the consumption of a variety of food products but also by ensuring that we take in sufficient quantities the micronutrients necessary for the adequate functioning of the human body, such as vitamins, an important one of which is vitamin D. Vitamin D has been closely linked to bone health. Vitamin D deficiency has often been associated with negative effects concerning several pregnancy adverse outcomes, the most important of which are the birth of SGA newborns, premature birth, and, finally, preeclampsia, which are discussed in this work. The aim of this review is to critically summarize and scrutinize whether the concentration of vitamin D in the blood serum of pregnant women in all its forms may be correlated with the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy and whether vitamin D levels could act both as a protective agent or as a risk factor or even a prognostic measure of the disease. The association of vitamin D levels with the onset of preeclampsia was examined by searching the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. A total of 31 clinical trials were identified and included in this review, with the aim of summarizing the recent data concerning vitamin D levels and the risk of preeclampsia. Among them, 16 were published in the last five years, and 13 were published within the last a decade. Most studies showed a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and preeclampsia risk. It was also found that the higher the dose, the lower the risk of disease. Of the 31 articles, only 7 of them did not show a significant difference between vitamin D levels and preeclampsia regardless of comorbidity. The results of this review suggest that there is indeed an association between the concentration of vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia; however, further studies are strongly recommended to derive conclusive evidence.

Comparative efficacy and safety of oral nifedipine with other antihypertensive medications in the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the most frequently occurring medical condition during pregnancy, resulting in fetal and/or maternal morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of nifedipine with other antihypertensive medications used in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

METHODOLOGY

A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Google Scholar. The meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager Software, and the pooled effect estimate was generated as standardized mean difference and odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and two-sided P -value.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis was comprised of 22 randomized control trials with 2595 participants. It was found that meantime and number of doses required to achieve target blood pressure were lower in the nifedipine group ( P  < 0.05). Even though it is statistically insignificant, fetal APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration) scores less than seven favors nifedipine intervention. Furthermore, none of the fetal or maternal secondary outcomes were found significant.

CONCLUSION

Nifedipine was found to be more effective than other antihypertensive medications to reduce blood pressure, particularly in patients with severe hypertension. However, future clinical studies, including real-world data are necessary to establish the safety profile of nifedipine concerning the fetal outcomes in hypertensive pregnant women.

Association between Serum Uric Acid Levels and Perinatal Outcome in Women with Preeclampsia

Objectives

To compare serum uric acid levels with disease severity and perinatal outcome among preeclamptic and normal pregnant women.

Materials and Methods

This was a case-control study carried out in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria. Consenting pregnant women were consecutively recruited into two groups comprising pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia and normotensive nonproteinuric pregnant women. Exclusion criteria included pregnant women who were current smokers, took alcohol, and diagnosed with multiple gestation, diabetes mellitus, or renal failure. Associations between categorical variables such as preeclampsia severity and perinatal outcomes were done using logistic regression while means of continuous variables such as serum uric acid were compared using Student's t-test. Data were presented using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and a statistical significance level set at P value ˂ 0.05. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.

Results

One hundred and two participants were finally analysed. Fifty-one participants were recruited in each arm. Women with preeclampsia had significantly high serum uric acid level versus controls (6.08 ± 0.49 mg/dL vs. 5.20 ± 0.19; P < 0.001). Women with elevated serum uric acid levels (˃6 mg/dL) were found to be 4 times more likely to have severe preeclampsia (P=0.022, OR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.225–13.056), 66 times more likely to have APGAR score ˂7 in the first minute (P < 0.001, OR = 66.00, 95% CI = 6.991–623.128), and 3 times more likely to have lower birth weight (P=0.038, OR = 3.400, 95% CI = 1.073–10.775) than those with normal serum uric acid levels.

Conclusions

The mean serum uric acid level in a preeclamptic is higher than that of normal pregnant control, and higher levels are associated with severity of the disease and significantly associated with poorer perinatal outcome.

Adverse obstetric outcomes in public hospitals of southern Ethiopia: the role of parity

Purpose: Direct obstetric causes have a significant contribution for severe maternal morbidities and mortalities, although the effect of grand multiparity on adverse obstetric outcomes remains controversial across studies. This study aimed to compare obstetric outcomes in grand multiparous and low multiparous women in two hospitals of southern Ethiopia.Materials and methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in one general and one comprehensive specialized hospitals in 2018. Four hundred and sixty-one mothers were included in the study. Data were collected by structured questionnaire and extraction sheets from clinical documents, and were analyzed using STATA version 14 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA).Results: About 39% of the included mothers had at least one adverse obstetric outcome. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, antepartum hemorrhage, and premature rupture of membrane and were higher in the grand multiparous mothers. However, obstructed labor and risk of cesarean delivery were higher in low multiparous women. History of medical illnesses, previous cesarean delivery, and high birth weight were independent predictors of adverse maternal outcomes regardless of parity. However, parity did not show statistically significant difference in obstetric outcomes.Conclusion: Parity did not show statistically significant difference in experiencing adverse obstetric outcomes in women. Early identification and treatment of high-risk mothers is recommended regardless of parity.

Nutraceuticals and Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: The Available Clinical Evidence

The aim of the present critical review is to summarize the available clinical evidence supporting the use of some dietary supplements that have been shown to lower blood pressure in hypertensive pregnant women. A systematic search strategy was carried out to identify trials in MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA; January 1980 to September 2019) and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK). The terms 'nutraceuticals', 'dietary supplements', 'pregnancy', 'pre-eclampsia', 'clinical trial', and 'human' were incorporated into an electronic search strategy. The references of the identified studies and review articles were reviewed to look for additional studies of interest. We preferably selected papers that reported recent comprehensive reviews or meta-analysis, or original clinical trials of substances with blood pressure-lowering or vascular protective effect in pregnancy. There is a relative body of evidence that supports the use of calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, and resveratrol in preventing the development of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and evidence supporting drug treatment too. Further clinical research is advisable to identify the dosage and timing of the supplementation, the group of women that might benefit the most from this approach, and the nutraceuticals with the best cost-effectiveness and risk-benefit ratio for widespread use in clinical practice.

Vitamin D supplementation and incident preeclampsia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Maternal vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk for preeclampsia. Despite this, the current evidence regarding the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in preventing preeclampsia is controversial. To assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of preeclampsia, we performed a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of the available randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

METHODS

The primary outcome was preeclampsia. Subgroup analyses were carried out considering the timing of the supplementation, type of intervention and the study design. Meta-regression analysis, including the amount of vitamin D and maternal age, were planned to explore heterogeneity (PROSPERO database registration number: CRD42019119207).

RESULTS

Data were pooled from 27 RCTs comprising 59 arms, which included overall 4777 participants, of whom 2487 were in the vitamin D-treated arm and 2290 in the control arm. Vitamin D administration in pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of preeclampsia (odd ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26, 0.52; I² = 0%). If the vitamin D supplementation was started up to 20 weeks' gestation, the odds was a little lower (OR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.50, p < 0.001). The effect was largely independent of the supplementation cessation (until delivery or not), type of intervention (vitamin D alone or in association with calcium), and study design. Increasing dose of vitamin D was associated with reduced incidence of preeclampsia (slope of log OR: -1.1, 95% CI: -1.73, -0.46; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be useful in preventing preeclampsia. These data are especially useful for health-care providers who engage in the management of pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia. Our findings are a call for action to definitively address vitamin D supplementation as a possible intervention strategy in preventing preeclampsia in pregnancy.

The association between pre-pregnancy impaired fasting glucose and adverse perinatal outcome

AIMS

To evaluate the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) prior to pregnancy with maternal and neonatal outcome.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of singleton deliveries in a single, tertiary, university-affiliated medical center between August 2007 and December 2012. We included women who had a fasting glucose test done up to 26 weeks prior to pregnancy. We excluded women with diabetes mellitus and women carrying a fetus with structural or chromosomal anomalies. Maternal and neonatal outcome were compared between two groups: women with pre-pregnancy IFG (defined as fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dl and <126 mg/dl) versus those with normoglycemia (fasting glucose <100 mg/dl).

RESULTS

Overall, 1945 women met inclusion criteria. Of whom, 1790 had pre-pregnancy glucose <100 mg/dl and 155 had IFG. There were no differences between groups in basic characteristics. As for maternal outcome, IFG was associated with higher rates of mild preeclampsia (5.16% vs. 0.67%), abnormal glucose challenge test (21.94% vs. 13.46%) and gestational diabetes (13.55 vs. 2.85%), p < 0.05 for all. There were no significant differences in neonatal outcome. After adjusting for potential confounders, on multivariable logistic regression, pre-pregnancy IFG remained significantly and independently associated with mild preeclampsia (aOR 6.92, 95% CI 2.68-18.05, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-pregnancy IFG is associated with increased risk for abnormal glucose challenge test and gestational diabetes, and it is an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome including mild preeclampsia.

Risk factors for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with preeclampsia: analysis of 1396 cases

Preeclampsia is a major cause of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, but how to identify women and fetuses at increased risk for later adverse events is a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with preeclampsia. Data from 1396 women with preeclampsia were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Eighteen candidate risk factors and 12 adverse outcomes were investigated. The following factors were found to be significantly associated with at least one adverse outcome: maternal age 35 years or older, multiple birth, the usage of assisted reproductive technology, living in a rural area, history of pregnancy-induced hypertension, male fetus, multigravida, or having polycystic ovary syndrome, hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, gestational diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid disease, or liver disease. Compared with patients without any identified risk factors, patients with preeclampsia with three or more risk factors were at increased risk for severe adverse outcomes. Those findings demonstrated that maternal risk factors could be used as indicators supplementary to clinical symptoms and laboratory test results for the risk assessment in women with preeclampsia.

Hypertension in CKD Pregnancy: a Question of Cause and Effect (Cause or Effect? This Is the Question)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly encountered in pregnancy, and hypertension is frequently concomitant. In pregnancy, the prevalence of CKD is estimated to be about 3%, while the prevalence of chronic hypertension is about 5-8%. The prevalence of hypertension and CKD in pregnancy is unknown. Both are independently related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the clinical picture merges with pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. Precise risk quantification is not available, but risks linked to CKD stage, hypertension, and proteinuria are probably multiplicative, each at least doubling the rates of preterm and early preterm delivery, small for gestational age babies, and related outcomes. Differential diagnosis (based upon utero-placental flows, fetal growth, and supported by serum biomarkers) is important for clinical management. In the absence of guidelines for hypertension in CKD pregnancies, the ideal blood pressure goal has not been established; we support a tailored approach, depending on compliance, baseline control, and CKD stages, with strict blood pressure monitoring. The choice of antihypertensive drugs and the use of diuretics and of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are still open questions which only future studies may clarify.

Effectiveness and safety of 1 vs 4 h blood pressure profile with clinical and laboratory assessment for the exclusion of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia: a retrospective study in a university affiliated maternity hospital

OBJECTIVE

We asked whether 60 compared with 240 min observation is sufficiently informative and safe for pregnancy day assessment (PDAC) of suspected pre-eclampsia (PE).

DESIGN

A retrospective study of 209 pregnant women (475 PDAC assessments, 6 months) with routinely collected blood pressure (BP), symptom and laboratory information. We proposed a 60 min screening algorithm comprising: absence of symptoms, normal laboratory parameters and ≤1high-BP reading (systolic blood pressure, SBP 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure, DBP 90 mm Hg or higher). We also evaluated two less inclusive screening algorithms. We determined short-term outcomes (within 4 h): severe hypertension, proteinuric hypertension and pregnancy-induced hypertension, as well as long-term outcome: PE-related diagnoses up to the early puerperium. We assessed performance of alternate screening algorithms performance using 2×2 tables.

RESULTS

1 in 3 women met all screen negative criteria at 1 h. Their risk of hypertension requiring treatment in the next 3 h was 1.8% and of failing to diagnose proteinuric hypertensive PE at 4 h was 5.1%. If BP triggers were 5 mm Hg lower, 1 in 6 women would be screen-negative of whom 1.1% subsequently develops treatment-requiring hypertension and 4.5% demonstrate short-term proteinuric hypertension. We present sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive likelihood ratios for alternate screening algorithms.

CONCLUSIONS

We endorse further research into the safest screening test where women are considered for discharge after 60 min. Safety, patient and staff satisfaction should be assessed prospectively. Any screening test should be used in conjunction with good clinical care to minimise maternal and perinatal hazards of PE.