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Doppler velocimetry of the uterine artery as a screening test for gestational hypertension
Author(s) -
Valensise H.,
Bezzeccheri V.,
Rizzo G.,
Tranquilli A.L.,
Garzetti G. G.,
Romanini C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1993.03010018.x
Subject(s) - medicine , uterine artery , gestational hypertension , obstetrics , gestation , gestational age , population , laser doppler velocimetry , umbilical artery , pregnancy , blood flow , cardiology , genetics , environmental health , biology
Doppler ultrasound was used to study the main uterine artery flow velocity waveforms in an unselected population of 272 primiparous women at 22 weeks' gestation. The incidences of subsequent complications were as follows: gestational hypertension alone, 4.4%; intrauterine fetal growth retardation alone, 4%; and gestational hypertension with intrauterine growth retardation, 3.6%. The flow velocity waveform was considered abnormal when the resistance index in the uterine artery was greater than 0.58. This identified 9.5% of the population as ‘at risk’ and predicted either of the above outcomes with an overall sensitivity of 74% (kappa index, 0.72). The sensitivity of prediction for gestational hypertension alone was 50% while for proteinuric gestational hypertension it was 88%. The best result was obtained for the prediction of pregnancies affected by both gestational hypertension and intrauterine growth retardation, where the sensitivity was 100%. Copyright © 1993 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology