Blood pressure rises more in pre-eclampsia than normal pregnancy when acral skin is locally cooled

Author: Hartgill T. W.   Pirhonen J.  

Publisher: Informa Healthcare

ISSN: 1064-1955

Source: Hypertension in Pregnancy, Vol.32, Iss.4, 2013-11, pp. : 340-354

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Abstract

Objective: Investigate blood pressure response to acral skin vasoconstriction in healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. Methods: Healthy women were investigated from gestational week 8 to 52 weeks postpartum and pre-eclampsia subjects at diagnosis. Finger artery ultrasound Doppler, forearm laser Doppler fluximetry and photoplethysmographic blood pressure were recorded. Hand cooling to 19 °C induced vasoconstriction. Results: Acral skin vasoconstriction increases blood pressure from 16 weeks until 12 weeks postpartum (p ≤ 0.01), with greatest responses in pre-eclampsia (p = 0.047). Forearm skin perfusion is higher in pre-eclampsia (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Acral skin vasoconstriction raises blood pressure in pregnancy, particularly in pre-eclampsia. Pregnancy accentuates important functional differences within skin.

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