Comparison of cerebral blood flow velocity as measured in preeclamptic, healthy pregnant, and nonpregnant women by transcranial Doppler sonography

Aim: To test the hypothesis that the middle cerebral artery blood flow velo city (MCAV) is altered in preeclamptic pregnant women as compared with heal thy pregnant and nonpregnant women. Methods: Preeclamptic (n = 21) and heal thy pregnant (n = 17) as well as healthy nonpregnant (n = 29) women underwe nt transcranial Doppler MCAV measurements. The mean MCAV values were compar ed between the different groups. Anova combined with Bonferroni correction was used for statistical analysis. Results: The MCAV was significantly high er in nonpregnant women (mean +/- SE 73.0 +/- 2.12 cm/s) as compared with h ealthy pregnant women (67.0 +/- 1.8 cm/s, p = 0.0356). Preeclamptic women s howed significantly higher MCAV values (83.5 +/- 2.1 cm/s) as compared with nonpregnant females (73.0 +/- 2.12 cm/s, p = 0.0014). Similar to nonpregna nt women, healthy pregnant women showed lower MCAV values (67.0 +/- 1.8 cm/ s) as compared with preeclamptic women (83.5 +/- 2.1 cm/s, p = 0.001). Afte r Bonferroni correction the MCAV values in patients suffering from preeclam psia were still statistically significantly higher as compared with the two other groups. Conclusions: We detected increased resting MCAV values in pr egnant women with preeclampsia. In our opinion, this finding refers to arte riolar dilation of the resistance vessels of the brain. Further studies are needed to prove altered vasoreactivity responses of the brain resistance a rterioles in preeclampsia. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG. Basel.