Effect of RIC on BP and Inflammatory Response in Women With Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia, which affects about 2 to 7% of pregnancies, is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

The onset of clinical symptoms (hypertension, proteinuria or end- organ dysfunction), are often seen in the last trimester of a pregnancy.

The disease can have major consequences for both the child and the mother. Yet there are only very limited treatment options, where induced labour is the only healing treatment. Today, the treatment consists in limiting blood pressure increase with medical treatment, whereby the pregnancy most often can result in term delivery.

Remote Ischaemic Conditioning (RIC) achieved by an automatic inflation of a blood pressure cuff to induce four 5-minute cycles of limb ischaemia and reperfusion, is a treatment that has been found to decrease the inflammatory response and lower blood pressure in states of myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, and stroke.

The treatment is virtually a cost-free non-pharmacological and non-invasive therapeutic strategy performed by the patient herself in her home.

However, whether RIC actually can improve clinical outcomes in relation to lowering blood pressure and the inflammatory response in pregnant women with newly diagnosed hypertension is yet to be investigated.

Aim and endpoint:

The aim of this pilot cohort study is to investigate whether treatment with remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) has a beneficial effect on blood pressure as well as the immune system in pregnant women with newly diagnosed hypertension (> 140/58mm Hg) or pre-eclampsia before gestational week 37+3.

Primary end-point • Median arterial blood pressure after 6 days of treatment

Secondary end-point

• Changes in the inflammatory response

Design and method:

In a pilot cohort study at Aarhus University Hospital, Regional Hospital Randers and Region Hospital Herning 20 pregnant women with signs of gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia (systolic blood pressure above 140 and / or diastolic blood pressure over 85; +/- proteinuria, +/- clinical signs or subjective symptoms and signs) are to be enrolled.

The study flowchart:

Newly hospital referred women with signs of gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia will be asked to participate. Informed consent will be obtained and blood pressure, blood samples, and weight will be measured.

• Day 1: resting day at home - blood pressure measuring
• Day 2-7: Morning: Blood pressure measuring and RIC treatment. Evening: blood pressure measuring
• Day 7: In hospital: Blood samples and weight will be measured.

Pros and cons:

In relation to the inflation of the blood pressure cuff temporary moderate pains in the treated arm might occur. Otherwise, the RIC is without side effects. Two extra blood samples of app. 50 ml each will be drawn, with a small risk of local infection exist.

The usefulness of the study The study is designed as a small pilot study. In which the set up will be tested and the effects on blood pressure and the inflammatory response in a relative small size will be explored. A larger randomised study will follow if the results show a positive trend.

Positive as well as negative and inconclusive results will be widely disseminated through national and international scientific journals and conferences.

Inclusion criteria

• Systolic blood pressure above 140 and/or
• Diastolic blood pressure above 85
• Proteinuria +/-
• Clinical signs / symptoms +/-

Clinical signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia +/-

Exclusion criteria

• Eclampsia