Professional paper
Hypertensive Retinopathy and Pre-Eclampsia
I. Tadin
L. Bojić
M. Mimica
D. Karelović
Z. Đogaš
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between hypertensive retinopathy
and the severity of pre-eclampsia. Forty women with pre-eclampsia, mean age
29.1 ( 7.4; range, 19–44) years, were retrospectively analyzed. They were treated at the
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Clinical Hospital Split, from January
1997 to December 1999. The mean age of gestation was 36.0 2.8 weeks (range, 28–39).
Pre-eclampsia was classified according to Goecke. Based on the ophthalmoscopic fundus
examinations the patients were divided into four groups, according to Keith–Wagner
classification system of grading retinal changes. Of 40 analyzed women, 18 (45%)
had ophthalmologically verified hypertensive retinopathy. Ten of them were classified
as grade I, six as grade II and two as grade III. Twenty-two patients had mild preeclampsia,
ten patients had moderate pre-eclampsia, and eight patients had severe preeclampsia.
A statistically significant correlation (t-test) was found between the degree of
hypertensive retinopathy and patient age, Apgar score, trophism, Goecke’s index, proteinuria,
systolic and diastolic pressure (P < 0.001) and edema (P = 0.01). The degree of
hypertensive retinopathy was directly proportional with the severity of pre-eclampsia
and significant correlation was found between them (r = 0.338, p = 0.033). These findings
showed that the degree of hypertensive retinopathy in women with pre-eclampsia is
a valid and reliable prognostic factor in determining the severity of the pre-eclampsia.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the examination of the fundus is a valuable and necessary
diagnostic procedure in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
28495
URI
Publication date:
23.7.2001.
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