Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 28 No 1 (January/February 2016)

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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 28, No 1, January/February 2017 28 AFRICA
all participants. Due to insufficient funds, we were not able to
compare EndoPAT results with a blood marker of endothelial
dysfunction, but such a study is planned.
Conclusion
This study has shown that there is impaired endothelial function
in rural African women with pre-eclampsia, based on the
low RHI and increased arterial stiffness, as measured by the
BPWA and augmentation index, compared to normotensive
pregnancies. This clearly indicates that RHI, BPWA and
Alx@75, as measured using the EndoPAT, can be used for
assessing endothelial dysfunction in pre-eclampsia. Although
PAT could be used as an adjunct to blood pressure measurement
in assessing patients with pre-eclampsia, the EndoPAT is a
relatively expensive piece of equipment.
The EndoPAT 2000 may earn its worth if it could detect
endothelial dysfunction and hence be used for screening patients
before the onset of hypertension and proteinuria. This will need
to be assessed in a prospective, cohort study of pregnant women
from the first or early second trimester until delivery, in order
to determine whether a reduced RHI can be detected before the
onset of pre-eclampsia. Such a study is planned.
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