COMPARISON OF INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE BETWEEN NORMOTENSIVE AND PREECLAMPTIC WOMEN IN THE PERIPARTUM PERIOD

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether intraocular pressure d iffers between preeclamptic and normotensive women in the peripartum p eriod. STUDY DESIGN: Eighteen preeclamptic (defined as blood pressure >140/90 mm Hg and greater than or equal to 1+ proteinuria) and 18 norm otensive women were studied. Intraocular pressure was determined with a handheld tonometer. Each intraocular pressure determination was obta ined by repeatedly touching the cornea until signal averaging produced a single measurement with a variance <5%. Right and left intraocular pressure, heart rate, and blood pressure were obtained intrapartum and 24 hours post parium with the patient in the seated, supine, and left lateral positions. Data are reported as mean +/- SD or median (range) as appropriate. Significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: No differe nces existed in race, age, weight, gravidity, parity, cervical dilatat ion, and heart rate between the preeclamptic and normotensive groups. Gestational age was lower (39 [34 to 42] vs 41 E34 to 42] weeks, p = 0 .003), and intrapartum mean arterial pressure (100.2 +/- 9.8 vs 81.0 /- 8.3 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and degree of proteinuria (3 [1 to 41 vs 0, P < 0.001) were higher in the preeclamptic group. There was no effect o f position or delivery on intraocular pressure in either group. Intrao cular pressure was higher in the preeclamptic group in the intrapartum (18.8 +/- 3.0 VS 15.3 +/- 2.7 mm Hg, P < 0.001) and postpartum period s (20.2 +/- 4.5 vs 15.7 +/- 3.6 mm Hg, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Compare d with normotensive women, preeclamptic women have increased intraocul ar pressure in the peripartum period.