Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Nifedipine (n=298) | Labetalol (n=295) | Methyldopa (n=301) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study site | ||||
| Government Medical College | 150 (50%) | 151 (51%) | 151 (50%) | |
| Daga Women's Hospital | 148 (50%) | 144 (49%) | 150 (50%) | |
| Maternal demographics | ||||
| Maternal age, years | 25·6 (4·0) | 25·5 (4·2) | 25·5 (4·2) | |
| Body-mass index, kg/m2 | 27·1 (4·3; 16·4–43·2) | 27·4 (4·3; 17·8–43·7) | 27·3 (4·3; 16·2–39·2) | |
| Pregnancy characteristics | ||||
| Gestational age, weeks | 36·5 (2·9) | 36·5 (2·7) | 36·7 (2·6) | |
| Multiple pregnancy | 12 (4%) | 7 (2%) | 9 (3%) | |
| Fetus alive at enrolment | 298 (100%) | 295 (100%) | 301 (100%) | |
| Clinical measurements | ||||
| Mean systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 158 (11·1; 130–200) | 158 (11·5; 130–200) | 157 (11·7; 130–200) | |
| Highest systolic blood pressure at enrolment, mm Hg* | ||||
| <160 | 109 (37%) | 102 (35%) | 109 (36%) | |
| 160–169 | 112 (38%) | 125 (42%) | 129 (43%) | |
| ≥170 | 77 (26%) | 68 (23%) | 63 (21%) | |
| Mean diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 109 (7·6; 87–165) | 108 (7·1; 87–140) | 108 (6·8; 90–130) | |
| Highest diastolic blood pressure at enrolment, mm Hg | ||||
| <110 | 56 (19%) | 64 (22%) | 73 (24%) | |
| 110–119 | 202 (68%) | 186 (63%) | 199 (66%) | |
| ≥120 | 40 (13%) | 45 (15%) | 29 (10%) | |
| Urinary dipstick proteinuria | ||||
| Nil or trace | 108 (36%) | 98 (33%) | 105 (35%) | |
| 1+ | 93 (31%) | 91 (31%) | 104 (35%) | |
| 2+ | 69 (23%) | 70 (24%) | 60 (20%) | |
| >3+ | 28 (9%) | 36 (12%) | 32 (11%) | |
| Oxygen saturation <95% | 0 | 1 (<1%) | 0 | |
| Mean heart rate, bpm | 95·7 (13·9; 55–141) | 97·4 (12·6; 62–134) | 97·2 (14·8; 56–142) | |
| Source of admission | ||||
| Referred | 79 (27%) | 83 (28%) | 100 (33%) | |
| Outpatient department | 180 (60%) | 179 (61%) | 173 (58%) | |
| Walk-in | 39 (13%) | 33 (11%) | 28 (9%) | |
| Received magnesium sulphate in 12 h before enrolment | 16 (5%) | 7 (2%) | 15 (5%) | |
| Received an antihypertensive drug at least 12 h before enrolment | 63 (21%) | 65 (22%) | 61 (20%) | |
| Methyldopa | 12 (4%) | 16 (5%) | 13 (4%) | |
| Nifedipine | 35 (12%) | 30 (10%) | 29 (10%) | |
| Labetalol | 21 (7%) | 22 (8%) | 20 (7%) | |
| Plans for delivery at time of enrolment | ||||
| Planned induction of labour | 118 (40%) | 128 (43%) | 114 (38%) | |
| Planned expectant management | 180 (60%) | 167 (57%) | 187 (62%) | |
| Laboratory values, n (%)/N | ||||
| Platelet count <1 × 105/L | 16 (6%)/287 | 12 (4%)/286 | 17 (6%)/295 | |
| Serum creatinine ≥1·0 | 22 (8%)/294 | 23 (8%)/294 | 20 (7%)/300 | |
| Aspartate transaminase >80 IU/L | 10 (3%)/293 | 12 (4%)/293 | 20 (7%)/301 | |
| Aspartate transaminase >80 IU/L and platelet count <1 × 105/L | 1 (<1%)/285 | 1 (<1%)/285 | 3 (1%)/295 | |
Data are n (%), n (%)/N, mean (SD), or mean (SD; range).
*
Seven women did not meet blood pressure eligibility criteria at the time of enrolment: three women in the nifedipine group, one woman in the labetalol group, and three women in the methyldopa group.