Preeclampsia as a cardiovascular risk factor

Abstract

Preeclampsia, the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, has been recently considered not only a pregnancy disease but also a risk factor for developing diseases later in life. We aimed to assess the electrocardiographic interval between the peak and the end of the electrocardiographic T wave (Tp–e), Tp-e/ QT ratio and Tp–e/corrected QT (QTc) ratio as candidate markers of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with history of preeclampsia. Total of 29 patients with a history of preeclampsia and 30 controls were enrolled in the present study. Cardiometabolic risk markers were compared in women with prior history of preeclampsia vs. uncomplicated term births. Fasting lipids, blood pressure (BP) and inflammatory markers measured and electrocardiogram (Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/ QTc ratios) results evaluated at least 12 months after delivery. QT interval (371.9± 39.2 vs. 353.0±21.1; p=0.001), QTc interval (398.8±39.5 vs. 364.4±31.1; p=0.03), Tp-e interval (66.2±10.6 vs. 41.5±5.1; p<0.001), Tp-e/QT ratio (0.17±0.06 vs. 0.11±0.01; p<0.001) and Tp-e/QTc ratio (0.17±0.09 vs. 0.12±0.01; p=0.003) were signicantly higher in patients with a history of preeclampsia than control group. The results of the present study showed that Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratios were greater in patients with a history of preeclampsia.