ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy in the prediction of both early and late preeclampsia by
flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD), a biophysical marker for
endothelial dysfunction.Materials and MethodsA total of 91 patients, considered at high risk for development of preeclampsia
were submitted to brachial artery FMD between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation.ResultsNineteen out of the selected patients developed preeclampsia, 8 in its early form
and 11 in the late form. With a cut-off value of 6.5%, the FMD sensitivity for
early preeclampsia prediction was 75.0%, with specificity of 73.3%, positive
predictive value (PPV) of 32.4% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 91.9%. For
the prediction of late preeclampsia, sensitivity = 83.3%, specificity = 73.2%, PPV
= 34.4% and NPV = 96.2% were observed. And for the prediction of all associated
forms of preeclampsia, sensitivity = 84.2%, specificity = 73.6%, PPV = 45.7% and
NPV = 94.6% were observed.ConclusionFMD of the brachial artery is a test with good accuracy in the prediction of both
early and late preeclampsia, which may represent a positive impact on the
follow-up of pregnant women at high risk for developing this syndrome.
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