Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Tied to Higher Rate of Pregnancy Complications

Women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) appeared to have an increase in self-reported history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO), according to a small study published as a Letter in Pulmonary Circulation.

Researchers from the University of Vermont conducted a single-center pilot study that included 20 women with a previous diagnosis of PAH. Relevant clinical data including comorbidities and PAH severity were collected. The women completed a validated maternal recall questionnaire that included questions about prior gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and more.

Of the 20 participants, 70% reported at least one previous pregnancy that lasted six months or longer. None had PAH prior to pregnancy.

About one-third (36%) of participants reported APOs; these included gestational hypertension (14%), preeclampsia (14%), and gestational diabetes (21%).

“Our data suggest an approximately threefold increase in self‐reported history of APOs among participants with PAH compared to national rates,” the researchers wrote.

Half of the women reported receipt of current treatment for systemic hypertension, including all of the women who reported a history of APO. In addition, those participants with a history of APO were younger at diagnosis compared with those without APO; although, the difference was not statistically significant.

“Given this is single‐center data with a relatively small sample size that limits the generalizability of its conclusions,” the researchers wrote, “we plan to investigate a prior diagnosis of pre‐eclampsia and other APO in female patients with PAH in a large national, multi‐center contemporary cohort to better understand the relationship between APO, cardiovascular and metabolic health, and the development of pulmonary vascular disease.”