Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background
Pre-eclampsia (PE) affects approximately 4 million women annually, characterized by sudden-onset hypertension (>20 weeks gestation) and proteinuria. It is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality and increases long-term cardiovascular risks for mothers and infants. This study examines the long-term risk of arrhythmias in women with PE to improve future cardiovascular outcomes.
Methods
This observational cohort study utilized the US Collaborative Network to analyze electronic medical records from 64 healthcare organizations. We identified 7,463 women with PE and 7,463 matched women without PE, following them from their first pregnancy to the incidence of arrhythmia, death, or study end. Primary outcomes included heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation/flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. Incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models over a median follow-up of 1 year.
Results
Women with PE had significantly higher risks of heart failure (HR 6.39, 95% CI: 3.48–11.74, p = 0.007), cardiac arrhythmias (HR 1.70, 95% CI: 1.35–2.13, p < 0.001), and atrial fibrillation/flutter (HR 2.73, 95% CI: 1.22–6.13, p = 0.011). No significant difference was observed for supraventricular tachycardia (HR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.44–1.98, p = 0.116), while the risk of ventricular fibrillation was 49% higher in the PE cohort (HR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.01–2.19, p = 0.044).
Conclusion
Women with pre-eclampsia have significantly higher risks of developing heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and atrial fibrillation/flutter compared to those without PE. No significant difference was found in the risk of supraventricular tachycardia, while the risk of ventricular fibrillation was moderately higher. These findings underscore the need for targeted cardiovascular monitoring in women with a history of PE.