Identifying Biomarkers for Endothelial Dysfunction in Women With Preeclampsia

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age18-40
SponsorUniversity Hospital, Antwerp

About this trial

Every pregnancy has a major impact on a woman's heart and blood vessels due to changes required by the body to maintain proper blood flow between mother and foetus. When the placenta does not work properly, preeclampsia can occur. An important first symptom is high blood pressure. Women who have experienced preeclampsia are at higher risk of developing blood pressure and heart problems later on. Therefore, it is very important to detect changes in the blood vessel system so that they can be treated promptly and correctly. We aim to do this by using a new, non-invasive eye test that examines the blood vessels of the retina.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

at least 18 years old

willing to undergo vascular assessments

informed consent signed

Disqualifiers

Unwilling to provide informed consent

Open-angle glaucoma

Epilepsia

(gestational) Diabetes

Trial design

Design model

Single group

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Arterial stiffness

    Other intervention

    Non-invasive test. A blood pressure cuff and tonometer (a type of pen placed on the neck) are used to measure the speed at which a pressure wave propagates from one place to another. Every time the heart contracts, a pressure wave is generated that propagates from the heart to the blood vessels at a certain speed. The stiffer the blood vessels, the faster the wave propagates.

  • Flow-meditad dilatation

    Other intervention

    This study measures the capacity with which blood vessels expand when we briefly cut off blood flow. The endothelium, the inner layer of blood vessels, regulates this expansion. By ultrasound, we measure the difference in diameter of the elbow artery. To cut off the blood flow, we clamp the forearm with a blood pressure cuff for 5 minutes. When the blood pressure cuff is released, it triggers increased blood flow in the arm, causing the blood vessels to expand. We record this expansion using the above techniques.

  • Dynamic retinal vessel analyzer

    Other intervention

    Eye imaging measures the capacity with which your blood vessels in the retina can expand in response to a flicker light stimulation.

Treatment groups

60 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment group
Group A: Interventional groupOther 3 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Retinal biomarkers

Early (retinal) biomarkers for cardiovascular risk in patients with preeclampsia, assessed by DVA.

Time frame
Baseline

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

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