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Clinical features of recurrent preeclampsia: a retrospective study of 109 recurrent preeclampsia patients

Hypertension Research volume 47, pages 1410–1419 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Our study aimed to investigate the clinical features of recurrent preeclampsia (rPE) and evaluate the preventive effect of low-dose aspirin (LDA) in rPE. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 109 patients who experienced preeclampsia in two consecutive pregnancies and delivered at Peking University First Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022. We analyzed the pregnancy outcomes of patients with rPE and assessed whether the use of LDA during pregnancy could improve these outcomes. Our results revealed that patients with rPE had a higher body mass index (BMI) and a higher incidence of diabetes during pregnancy compared to their first onset of preeclampsia (29.01 ± 4.70 kg/m2 vs. 27.13 ± 4.25 kg/m2, P < 0.05; 11.01% vs. 1.83%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of severe preeclampsia was higher at recurrence in patients with rPE compared to their first onset (83.49% vs. 70.64%, P < 0.05), as well as the incidence of severe preeclampsia with chronic hypertension (34.86% vs. 8.26%, P < 0.05). Additionally, the incidence of gestational diabetes and postpartum hemorrhage was higher in patients with rPE compared to their first preeclampsia onset (25.69% vs. 5.50%, P < 0.05; 20.18% vs. 5.83%, P < 0.05). Compared to the first onset of preeclampsia, patients with rPE had an earlier gestational age at delivery (35.42 ± 3.06 weeks vs. 36.60 ± 2.74 weeks, P < 0.05), lower birth weight of neonates (2478.39 ± 828.44 g vs. 2883.71 ± 712.94 g, P < 0.05), and a higher risk of premature birth (67.00% vs. 47.19%, P < 0.05). However, in patients with rPE, the use of LDA delayed the gestational age at delivery, increased the birth weight of the neonate, reduced the premature birth rate, and increased the perinatal survival rate. In conclusion, patients with rPE are at an increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. However, the use of LDA during pregnancy effectively improves these outcomes.

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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Yu Sun for her assistance with this study. Hui Zhang (co-first author).

Funding

This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC2704700) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82071668).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, PR China

    Shujie Han, Hui Zhang, Yingdong He & Qian Chen

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First People‘ s Hospital of Da tong, Datong, Shanxi, PR China

    Hui Zhang

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Contributions

Data curation: Shujie Han, Hui Zhang; funding acquisition: Yingdong He; investigation: Shujie Han, Hui Zhang, and Yingdong He; methodology: Yingdong He; resources: Yingdong He, Qian Chen; and supervision: Yingdong He, Qian Chen. All the authors have read the manuscript and approved this submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yingdong He.

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This retrospective study was approved and monitored by the Institutional Review Board of Peking University Health Science Centre. The data were anonymous, and the requirement for informed consent was therefore waived.

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As this study was a retrospective analysis, formal consent was not required. All the authors of the manuscript agreed to its publication.

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Han, S., Zhang, H., He, Y. et al. Clinical features of recurrent preeclampsia: a retrospective study of 109 recurrent preeclampsia patients. Hypertens Res 47, 1410–1419 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-024-01623-9

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