Brachial artery reactivity in pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Abstract:Brachial artery reactivity was assessed as a non-invasive test of endothelial function in 25 pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia, in comparison with 25 gravid ladies proceeding normal pregnancies. All were in related ages and gestational periods. Although non-significant, but an obvious impairment in flow mediated brachial artery diameter was traced in mothers sustaining pre-eclampsia (5.018 mm Vs 4.212mm for pre-eclamptic group); while the base line and nitroglycerine mediated changes in the brachial artery diameters were non-significant and more trivial (4.061 mm “control group” Vs 4.066 mm “pre-eclamptic group” and 4.321 mm “control group” Vs 4.216 mm “pre-eclamptic group”) respectively; supporting a potential role for endothelial dysfunction in pre-eclamptic toxemia. The test is simple, cheap and may harbor a promising screening potential in pre-eclampsia to predict the subclinical illness in high risk pregnancies.Keywords: pre-eclampsia, endothelial dysfunction.