Table 2.
Characteristics of the normotensive group
| Variable | Value in mean ± SD or n (%) or median [inter quartile range] | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remained normotensive, n = 68 | Had de novo postpartum hypertension, n = 22 | ||
| Prenatal | |||
| Age (years) | 29[8] | 27[10] | 0.944 |
| Maternal height (m) | 1.6[0.1] | 1.6[0.1] | 0.854 |
| Weight (kg) at booking visit | 74.1[21.1] | 81[21.9] | 0.081 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) at booking visit | 28.8[8] | 31.4[8.8] | 0.060 |
| Gestational age (weeks) at booking visit | 14.5[8] | 12.5[7] | 0.602 |
| Parity | 0.37 | ||
| Primigravida | 7(10.3) | 1(4.5) | |
| Multigravida | 61(89.7) | 21(95.5) | |
| Family history of hypertension | 0.411 | ||
| Yes | 16(23.5) | 7(31.8) | |
| No | 50(73.5) | 14(63.6) | |
| aMissing data | 2(2.9) | 1(4.5) | |
| bSBP at booking visit | 115.7 ± 14.5 | 124.4 ± 19.7 | 0.007 |
| DBP at booking visit | 65.1 ± 10.7 | 66.9 ± 15.7 | 0.019 |
| bHighest SBP (mmHg) at 20–24 weeks | 111.2 ± 15.7 | 121.0 ± 8.3 | 0.040 |
| Highest DBP (mmHg) at 20–24 weeks | 64.0 ± 10.4 | 69.3 ± 9.6 | 0.283 |
| Gestational age (weeks) at delivery | 38.0 [1] | 38.0 [2] | 0.358 |
| bWeight (kg) before delivery | 83.2 [17] | 90.1 [15.6] | 0.026 |
| bBody mass index (kg/m2) at delivery | 32.2 [8.7] | 35.4 [6.0] | 0.014 |
| SBP (mmHg) in the ward before delivery | 111.7 ± 13.8 | 115.8 ± 12.5 | 0.087 |
| DBP (mmHg) in the ward before delivery | 67.0 ± 11.0 | 65.1 ± 12 | 0.510 |
| Haemoglobin (g/dl) at pre-delivery | 11.3 [1.4] | 11.2 [1.9] | 0.845 |
| sFlt-1 (pg/ml) before delivery | 2985 [2778] | 4968 [5427.9] | 0.222 |
| PIGF (pg/ml) before delivery | 453.4 [613.3] | 184.4 [424.3] | 0.082 |
| sFlt-1/PIGF ratio before delivery | 6.9 [12.9] | 47.6 [77.8] | 0.102 |
| Postnatal | |||
| Postpartum haemoglobin (g/dl) | 11.5 [2.8] | 10.7 [2.1] | 0.971 |
| 4-item Perceived Stress Scale | 1 [4.8] | 3.9[6.5] | 0.934 |
| cPain score (Numeric rating scale of 0 – 10) | |||
| Day 0 | 7.3 ± 2.8 | 8.1 ± 2.1 | |
| Day 1 | 5.2 ± 2.4 | 5.4 ± 2.0 | |
| Day 2 | 1.9 ± 1.7 | 3.3 ± 2.2 | |
| Day 3 | 0.4 ± 0.8 | 1.1 ± 2.0 | |
| Birth weight (kg) | 3002.2 ± 380.8 | 3414.3 ± 575.0 | 0.204 |
a
Excluded from p-value calculation.
b
Variable with significant p-value.
c
Pain score was <1 in both normotensive groups before delivery; and patient group had no effect on pain, p = 0.402, while time had significant effect on pain, p <0.001. Abbreviations: PIGF, Placental growth factor; SBP, Systolic blood pressure; sFlt-1, Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1; DBP, Diastolic blood pressure.