Pre-eclampsia as a predictor of early-onset cardiovascular impairment among young women (PREECARDIA study): protocol for a prospective cohort study

Abstract

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Introduction: Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related complication estimated to affect up to 8% of pregnancies worldwide. It is associated with an increased risk of postpartum sustained hypertension, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease and cardiovascular-related mortality. Nevertheless, these associations have seldom been addressed in younger women from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Hence, this study aims to assess the association between pre-eclampsia and cardiovascular impairment within the first year after delivery, among younger women in SSA.

Methods and analysis: This is a prospective cohort study conducted at Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. A total of 230 pregnant women aged below 25 years (115 diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and 115 normotensive age-matched pregnancies), will be enrolled after their 20th gestational week. Exclusion criteria include diabetes, hypertension or other serious maternal diseases present before pregnancy. Participants will be assessed at baseline (pre-labour period), 4 and 12 months after delivery; evaluations started in March 2023 and are expected to end in December 2026. At each follow-up assessment, the women will have their blood pressure measured with a digital sphygmomanometer and a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor. Cardiac and renal function will be assessed using echocardiography and laboratory testing, respectively. Primary outcomes include the mean differences in cardiovascular and renal parameters between women who had pre-eclampsia and those who had normotensive pregnancies. Age, parity, age at first pregnancy, family history of cardiovascular diseases, smoking habits, gestational diabetes diagnosed before pre-eclampsia, body mass index and labour complications will be considered a priori as potential confounders of the association between pre-eclampsia and postpartum cardiovascular impairment.

Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the Comité Nacional de Ética em Pesquisa na Saúde, Guinea-Bissau (008/CNES/INASA/2023), and participants provide written informed consent. Results will be disseminated among the scientific community and the public."