Table 1.
Characteristics of the patients
| Controls | PE | GH | CH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics* | (n = 63) | (n = 42) | (n = 47) | (n = 29) |
| Age (y)a | 30.4 ± 4.7 | 32.0 ± 5.1 | 30.2 ± 4.3 | 31.3 ± 6.8 |
| • Age ≥ 35b | 11 (17.5%) | 13 (31.0%) | 7 (14.9%) | 9 (31.0%) |
| BMI before pregnancy (kg/m2)c | 21.4 (19.6–23.8) | 24.1 (21.7–26.0)2 | 25.0 (22.6–29.4)3 | 25.2 (20.6–32.0)1 |
| • BMI ≤ 18.5b | 6 (9.5%) | 1 (2.5%) | 0 (0.0%) 1 | 3 (10.3%) |
| • BMI ≥ 25b | 12 (19.0%) | 13 (32.5%) | 23 (50.0%)3 | 15 (51.7%)2 |
| GA at sample collection (wks)c | 37 (33–39) | 34 (31–37)1 | 37 (34–38) | 35 (32–37) |
| Labour information | ||||
| • Nulliparityb | 26 (41.3%) | 28 (66.7%)1 | 25 (53.2%) | 17 (58.6%) |
| • GA at delivery (wks)b | 39 (38–40) | 36 (33–38)3 | 39 (37–39) | 39 (38–39) |
| • Prematurityb | 4 (6.8%) | 22 (55.0%)3 | 6 (12.8%) | 2 (7.1%) |
| • Caesarean sectionb | 35 (59.3%) | 31 (81.6%) | 26 (57.8%) | 19 (73.1%) |
| • Infant birth weight (g)c | 3490 (3100–3800) | 2030 (1465–3020)3 | 3120 (2680–3600)1 | 3430 (2940–3720) |
| • SGAb | 0 (0.0%) | 19 (48.7%)3 | 12 (25.5%)3 | 5 (18.5%)2 |
| • Female fetusb | 23 (39.0%) | 19 (48.7%) | 24 (51.1%) | 13 (46.4%) |
| Medical history | ||||
| • Hypothyroidismb | 7 (11.1%) | 7 (16.7%) | 10 (21.3%) | 3 (10.3%) |
| • Gestational diabetesb | 5 (7.9%) | 6 (14.3%) | 6 (12.8%) | 5 (17.2%) |
| • Asthmab | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (2.4%) | 3 (6.4%) | 2 (6.9%) |
| Medical therapy | ||||
| • Methyldopab | 0 (0.0%) | 38 (95.0%)3 | 41 (100.0%)3 | 25 (86.2%)3 |
| • Metoprololb | 2 (3.3%) | 6 (15.0%)1 | 3 (6.4%) | 4 (13.8%) |
| • Nitrendypineb | 1 (1.6%) | 20 (50.0%)3 | 4 (8.5%) | 6 (20.7%)2 |
| • verapamilb | 6 (9.8%) | 3 (7.3%) | 6 (12.8%) | 2 (6.9%) |
| • Magnesium sulfateb | 0 (0.0%) | 11 (27.5%)3 | 2 (4.3) | 0 (0.0%) |
PE pre-eclampsia, GH gestational hypertension, CH chronic hypertension
*cases with missing information are excluded
1p < 0.05; 2p < 0.005; 3p < 0.01
avalues presented as mean ± SD
bvalues given as n (%)
cvalues shown as median (interquartile range)