Changes in hemodynamic parameters and volume homeostasis with the menstrual cycle among women with a history of preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: Among women with a history of preeclampsia the prevalence of hem odynamic and clotting disorders is elevated. In this study we tested the hy pothesis that the normal cyclic variation in hemodynamic and renal function parameters with the menstrual cycle that is seen among healthy women would be preserved in women with a history of preeclampsia irrespective of wheth er they had an underlying hemodynamic or clotting disorder. STUDY DESIGN: We compared the hemodynamic and volume cyclic variations duri ng the menstrual cycle among women with a history of preeclampsia (n = 39) with those among healthy parous control women (control group, n = 10). The participants with a history of preeclampsia were subdivided into groups of women with hypertension with or without thrombophilia (hypertension group, n = 10), women with a normotension and a thrombophilic disorder (thrombophi lia group, n = 17), and women without either of these abnormalities (sympto m-free group, n = 12). We measured greater than or equal to 5 months post p artum, once during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (day 5 +/- 2 ) and once during the luteal phase (day 22 +/- 2), the following variables: body weight and length, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output , plasma volume, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, a nd concentrations of renal volume homeostatic hormones, reproductive hormon es, and catecholamines. From the measured data we calculated body mass inde x, cardiac index, left ventricular work, total peripheral and renal vascula r resistances, effective renal blood flow, and renal filtration fraction. RESULTS: The hypertension group differed from the control group in having h igher baseline (follicular phase) values for cardiac output, cardiac output , left ventricular work, renal vascular resistance, and atrial natriuretic peptide and norepinephrine levels. The symptom-free group differed from the control group in having a lower baseline plasma volume and higher baseline cardiac output and left ventricular work values. Women in the thrombophili a group were comparable to those in the control group with respect to basel ine hemodynamic and renal function variables except for a higher renal vasc ular work value. In the control group heart rate, plasma volume, effective renal plasma volume, effective renal blood flow, and concentrations of reni n-angiotensin-aldosterone system hormones and norepinephrine were increased during the luteal phase with respect to values during the follicular phase , whereas the renal vascular resistance and atrial natriuretic peptide valu es were decreased. In the three subgroups of women with a history of preecl ampsia this cyclic pattern with the menstrual cycle was preserved for most of these parameters. CONCLUSION: Although baseline hemodynamic and volume status among women wit h a history of preeclampsia differed from that among healthy parous control subjects, the cyclic variation with the menstrual cycle was largely preser ved.