Background and Objectives:Preeclampsia is a hypertension condition of pregnancy characterized by systemic vascular abnormalities, including modifications in the retinal vasculature. Changes in the blood vessels in the retina can be used as a non-invasive way to measure the severity of a disease and the risk of getting it. This study sought to assess and contrast retinal vascular alterations in preeclamptic patients with normotensive pregnant controls.
Materials and Methods:A case-control study was performed involving 50 pregnant women, comprising 25 preeclamptic patients and 25 normotensive controls matched for age and gestational age. All subjects had a comprehensive ocular evaluation, encompassing visual acuity testing, slit-lamp examination, and fundus evaluation via indirect ophthalmoscopy. Retinal vascular alterations were recorded and classified using the Keith-Wagener-Barker system. Blood pressure and proteinuria levels were documented and associated with fundoscopic results. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare retinal alterations between patients and controls.
Results:Retinal vascular alterations were noted in 18 (72%) of preeclamptic individuals, in contrast to 4 (16%) of normotensive controls. In the cases, the most prevalent observations were overall arteriolar constriction (48%), abnormalities in arteriovenous crossing (32%), and cotton wool patches (20%). There were no occurrences of retinal detachment. The severity of retinal alterations was positively linked with elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p < 0.05). Normotensive controls demonstrated only minor, non-significant alterations in the retina.
Conclusion:Retinal vascular alterations are markedly more common in preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnancies and are associated with the severity of the condition. Ophthalmic examination can be a helpful, non-invasive way to keep an eye on vascular involvement in preeclamptic patients, which can help find and treat problems early on.
International Journal of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Indexed in Index Copernicus
