BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We compared hemodynamic profiles of healthy and mildly preeclamptic pregnant women at term, as well as those of non-pregnant controls, using a new non-invasive cardiac output monitor (NICOM) based on bio-reactance. METHODS: We studied healthy term pregnant women at term (Preg, n = 10), mildly preeclamptic pregnant women at term (PregPE, n = 10), and healthy non-pregnant female volunteers (NonPreg, n = 10). With the subjects in the semi left lateral position, 4 electrodes of the NICOM device were applied to their chest wall, followed by a 15-minute rest period. Hemodynamic variables, including the systolic (SBP), diastolic (DPB) and mean arterial (MAP) pressures, as well as the heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), total peripheral resistance (TPR), cardiac output (CO), cardiac power output (CPO), and ventricular ejection time (VET) were then monitored for 15 minutes. RESULTS: The Preg and NonPreg groups showed similar hemodynamic profiles, except for a shorter VET in the Preg group (213.3 ± 19.3 ms versus 265.0 ± 28.8 ms, p < 0.001). The PregPE group showed higher SBP, DBP and MAP, as well as CPO (145.5 ± 12.6 mmHg; 94.5 ± 9.1 mmHg; 111.5 ± 9.8 mmHg; 1.6 ± 0.3 watts), compared to both the Preg (114 ± 12.1 mmHg; 71.7 ± 8.4 mmHg; 85.9 ± 9.3 mmHg; 1.1 ± 0.3 watts) and NonPreg (101.2 ± 11.9 mmHg; 66.7 ± 10.4 mmHg; 78.1 ± 10.6 mmHg; 1.0 ± 0.2 watts) groups. The PregPE group showed higher HR, CO, and TPR, and shorter VET (85.4 ± 8.4 beats.min-1; 6.6 ± 0.7 L.min-1; 1,369.9 ± 173.5 dyne.sec.cm-5, 221.6 ± 22.4 ms) compared to the NonPreg group (67.9 ± 9.5 beats.min-1; 5.6 ± 0.7 L.min-1; 1,136.9 ± 149.8 dyne.sec.cm-5, 265.0 ± 28.8 ms). CONCLUSIONS: The NICOM device is simple to use, operator independent, and provides clear and consistent monitoring signals. The output identified distinct hemodymamic profiles that are consistent with the findings of more invasive existing methods.
PHYSIOLOGY; HEMODYNAMICS; MONITORING; MONITORING; PREGNANCY
