Preeclampsia y Actividad Simpática en Embarazada a Término. Mérida. Venezuela

Abstract

The objective was to study in preeclampsic women the sympathetic activity by the determination of the plasmatic perypheric levels of norepinephrine (NE) in supine and standing position (orthostatic test). It is a prospective, casecontrol study; 44 women with simple pregnancy were evaluated, 22 (group A) with non treated preeclampsy diagnosis, with no diabetes, hypertension (previous to the pregnancy), or renal disease, and 22 healthy pregnants as control (group B). At the beginning ithe NE concentration in supine and standing position, the blood pressure and cardiac frequency were determined. The mean age was 22 ± 5 years; the pregnancy time was 38 ± 2 weeks, and two pregnancies. Hypertension was the family disorder in 55 % of the study group and 41 % in group B. The basal systolic and diastolic blood pressures were statistically different in both groups, mean 145/97 mm Hg for group A and 94/67 mm Hg for group B. Mothers cardiac frequencies were not statistically different in both groups. The basal NE levels were 218 pg/ml and 241 pg/ml and in standing position were 274 pg/ml and 297 pg/ml respectively, without statistic significance. Group a showed a bimodal aggregation towards the extremes (n = 9) 126 pg/ml and (n = 13) 328 pg/ml, statiscally different from the control (n = 22) 241 pg/ml. The orsthostatic test answer was 25 % for group A and 23 % for group B, statistically similar but low in relation to non pregnant patients of the same age.