Effect of Prostacyclin Infusion in Severe Pre-Eclampsia

Low dose acetyl salicylic acid in severe preeclampsia

Twenty pregnant patients in the third trimester with severe preeclampsia were allocated at random into two equal groups. The first group was treated for 10 days with a low dose (75 mg/day) of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) then with conventional therapy for another 10 days. The second group received the same regimen but conventional therapy in the first 10 days and ASA in the second 10 days. Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, albuminuria, lower limb edema and urinary output were closely monitored and recorded. This comparative crossover study indicated that both the low dose ASA and conventional therapy significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure which was more pronounced with ASA and in group I. Crossover from one treatment to the other maintained the response but was more beneficial when ASA was given first.

Treatment of severe pre-eclampsia by acetyl salicylic acid

Low-dose Aspirin inhibits thromboxane A2 with minimal effects on prostacyclin and induces clinical improvements in pre-eclampsia. Two groups of pre-eclamptic women (10 in each) were treated either by low-dose acetyl salicylic acid (group I) or by conventional therapy (group II). Both groups showed a significant drop in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, a decrease in temperature, edema and albuminuria and an increase in urine volume. These effects were more significant in group I than in group II, except for the diastolic blood pressure. The obstetric progress and perinatal outcome were rather similar in both groups. These data offer a new potential therapeutic measure for the management of severe pre-eclampsia and call for further evaluation in a larger group of cases.