Recurrent pre-eclampsia and subsequent cardiovascular risk

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association between recurrent pre-eclampsia and long-term cardiovascular hospitalisation.

Methods: This study identified cardiovascular hospitalisations up to 25 years after pregnancy for all women who delivered between 1989 and 2013 in Québec, Canada. Exposures included recurrent and non-recurrent pre-eclampsia in women with two deliveries or more (N=606 820), and pre-eclampsia in women with only one delivery (N=501 761). Incidence, timing and risk of cardiovascular complications were calculated using accelerated failure time models adjusted for age, pre-existing disease, socioeconomic deprivation and period. Outcomes included a range of cardiovascular hospitalisations and procedures.

Results: Women with recurrent pre-eclampsia had higher incidence of cardiovascular hospitalisation (281.4 per 1000) than women with non-recurrent (167.7 per 1000) or no pre-eclampsia (72.6 per 1000). Mean time to cardiovascular hospitalisation was 10.5 years for recurrent, 11.6 years for non-recurrent and 12.7 years for no pre-eclampsia, a difference of 17.3% for recurrent and 8.7% for non-recurrent relative to no pre-eclampsia. Compared with no pre-eclampsia, recurrent pre-eclampsia was associated with 2 times the risk of heart disease (95% CI 1.69 to 2.29) and 3 times the risk of cerebrovascular disease (95% CI 2.25 to 4.05). Pre-eclampsia in women with one delivery was associated with 3 times greater risk of cardiovascular hospitalisation compared with no pre-eclampsia in women with two deliveries or more (95% CI 2.96 to 3.25).

Conclusions: Recurrent pre-eclampsia is associated with higher risk of future cardiovascular hospitalisation compared with no pre-eclampsia, and significantly shorter time to first cardiovascular event. Cardiovascular screening should be performed earlier for women with recurrent pre-eclampsia.