Regional differences in the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in relation to the risk factors for coronary artery disease in women in Finland

• Published in: European Heart Journal
• Main Authors: Kaaja, Risto, Kinnunen, Tarja, Luoto, Riitta
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 2005
• Subjects: Clinical research; Northern Finland
• Online Access: http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/26/1/44; https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehi015

Aims The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in Southern, Eastern, and Northern Finland, and the relationship between history of pre-eclampsia and maternal coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors. Methods and results Women aged 25–64 years, who participated in a cross-sectional population survey and had been pregnant ( n =3650), were studied. The proportion of women who had ever had pre-eclampsia was lower in Southern (7.9%) compared with Northern Finland (13.9%) ( P =0.001), but did not differ from Eastern Finland (11.1%). In the logistic regression model, the age-adjusted prevalence of pre-eclampsia was 1.92-fold in Northern (95%&emsp14;CI: 1.46–2.53, P <0.001) and 1.47-fold in Eastern Finland (95%&emsp14;CI: 1.11–1.96, P =0.008) compared with Southern Finland. The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.70 (95%&emsp14;CI: 1.21–2.38, P =0.002) and 1.16 (95%&emsp14;CI: 0.82–1.64, P =0.40), respectively, when adjusted for age at first birth, current age, parity, body mass index (BMI), increased blood cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance, CAD, and mother's myocardial infarction. History of pre-eclampsia was associated with increased blood cholesterol, higher current BMI and blood pressure, and higher current prevalence of hypertension, diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance. Conclusions Pre-eclampsia is most prevalent in the Northern part of Finland and could only be partly explained by higher prevalence of CAD risk factors.