Effect of early use of low-dose aspirin therapy on late-onset preeclampsia.

Objective: Low-dose aspirin (LDA) therapy has been found to be effective in preventing the development of early-onset preeclampsia. However, its effect on late-onset preeclampsia has not been described. Our study was aimed at determining if LDA therapy prescribed from early in pregnancy modified the severity of late-onset preeclampsia.

Home blood pressure measurement in women with pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders.

Objectives: To determine if home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) provides comparable results to clinic blood pressure (BP) measurement.

Study Design: A prospective, single-centre study of 37 pregnant and early post-partum women with a hypertensive pregnancy or at high-risk of developing a hypertensive pregnancy were asked to perform HBPM for a minimum period of one week. This was subsequently compared to clinic BP measurement both before and after the period of home measurement.

Measuring blood pressure in pregnancy and postpartum: assessing the reliability of automated measuring devices.

Objective: To determine the reliability of automated blood pressure (BP) measuring devices in hypertensive pregnancies.

Methods: Three sequential measurements were taken using mercury sphygmomanometry and an automated device in pregnant hypertensive women (n = 89).

Results: Systolic BP (SBP) was higher with the automated device (mean difference 2.

A randomised comparison of hydralazine and mini-bolus diazoxide for hypertensive emergencies in pregnancy: the PIVOT trial.

Aims: Diazoxide is one of few available agents for treatment of hypertensive emergencies in pregnancy. From previous studies, there is a question concerning safety after moderate-dose administration caused episodes of hypotension. Rapid control of severe hypertension is necessary to reduce maternal morbidity, for example, stroke and placental abruption.

Structural and functional changes in left ventricle during normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancy.

Increased cardiac output in pregnancy is associated with cardiac remodeling and possible reduction in contractility, which may worsen in preeclampsia. Left ventricular (LV) geometry and function were compared between nonpregnant controls (n = 12) and normotensive (n = 44) and preeclamptic (n = 15) pregnant women using echocardiography. Load-independent comparisons of LV systolic function compared end-systolic stress (ESS) and rate-corrected velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (V(CFC)).

The effects of aminoguanidine on renal changes in a baboon model of Type 1 diabetes.

Background: The efficacy of aminoguanidine (AG) on primary prevention of diabetic nephropathy was investigated in a nonhuman primate model of Type 1 diabetes over a period of 4 years.

Methods: Adolescent male baboons (Papio hamadryas) were assigned to four groups: control, diabetic, and control and diabetic treated with AG. Diabetes was induced with streptozocin (60 mg/kg) and treated with insulin to maintain a mean HbA1c level of about 9%.