Formerly eclamptic women have lower nonpregnant blood pressure compared with formerly pre-eclamptic women: a retrospective cohort study

Objective To compare nonpregnant blood pressure and circulating metabolic factors between formerly pre-eclamptic women who did and did not deteriorate to eclampsia. DesignRetrospective observational cohort study. SettingTertiary referral centre. PopulationFormerly pre-eclamptic women with (n=88) and without (n=698) superimposed eclampsia. MethodsWomen who experienced pre-eclampsia with or without superimposed eclampsia during their pregnancy or puerperium were tested for possible underlying cardiovascular risk factors at least 6months postpartum. We measured blood pressure and determined cardiovascular and metabolic risk markers in a fasting blood sample. Groups were compared using Mann-Whitney Utest, Spearman's Rho test or Fisher's Exact test (odds ratios). Main outcome measuresDifferences in postpartum blood pressures and features of the metabolic syndrome between formerly pre-eclamptic and formerly eclamptic women. ResultsFormerly pre-eclamptic women who developed eclampsia differed from their counterparts without eclampsia by a lower blood pressure (P