Comparison of the resistive indices obtained in the uterine artery and the ophthalmic artery in preeclamptic and normotensive patients in Doppler US

INTRODUCTION: Preeclampsia is a medical condition characterized by hypertension and proteinuria during pregnancy, with the symptoms generally manifesting in the 3(rd) trimester. Hypertension brings hemodynamic changes; it is therefore expected that arterial blood flow velocity waveforms will be different in the uterine and ophthalmic arteries in preeclampsia. Vascular changes do occur in preeclampsia, which in turn induces hemodynamic changes. AIM: To compare mean values of the resistive index of the ophthalmic and uterine arteries in patients with preeclampsia and normotensive individuals in Doppler US. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, ultrasound of the uterine and ophthalmic arteries was performed in 60 pregnant women in the 2(nd) and 3(rd) trimester of pregnancy to compare the resistive index of these arteries in preeclamptic and normotensive individuals. All the patients, i.e. 30 preeclamptic and 30 normotensive pregnant women, took part in this study voluntarily. The study was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of the University of Lahore. RESULTS: The mean resistive index of the uterine artery was 0.50 ± 0.08 in normotensive participants and 0.64 ± 0.09 in preeclamptic women, with the p-value <0.001. The mean resistive index of the ophthalmic artery was 0.70 ± 0.05 in normotensive participants and 0.63 ± 0.04 in preeclamptic women, with the p-value <0.001. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant negative correlation between the resistive index of the uterine and ophthalmic arteries among the patients with preeclampsia and a significant positive correlation among normotensive individuals. Preeclampsia could be easily diagnosed with Doppler ultrasound based on hemodynamic changes in response to vascular changes in the ophthalmic and uterine arteries.