Hemodynamic Insights into Preeclampsia: Comparing Ophthalmic and Uterine Artery Resistive Indices

BACKGROUND Doppler ultrasonography has emerged as a non-invasive method for evaluating vascular changes in preeclampsia. The ophthalmic artery emerges a novel target for hemodynamic assessment in preeclampsia. This study aimed to compare the Doppler ultrasound pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI). PI and RI in the ophthalmic artery and uterine artery were measured in 60 pregnant women with and without preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional design study was conducted to measure Doppler parameters of the uterine and the ophthalmic artery involving 30 participants in preeclampsia and 30 participants in non-preeclampsia groups in West Java from July to September 2024. Doppler ultrasound was performed (Voluson GE S8 BT-equipped with a 7.5 MHz linear transducer, operated by a single maternal-fetal medicine trainee) to measure PI and RI values in the uterine (normal 0.45-0.5) and ophthalmic arteries (normal 0.6-0.7). Bivariate statistical analysis and Pearson correlation tests were performed as further analysis. RESULTS The study found that the uterine artery's PI and RI were significantly higher in the preeclampsia group than in the normal group (P<0.0001). In contrast, the ophthalmic artery's PI and RI were significantly lower in the preeclampsia group (P<0.0001). There was a negative correlation between the RI of the uterine artery and ophthalmic artery, with a coefficient value of -0.19 and statistically significance (P=0.01) in the preeclampsia group. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest PI and RI changes and a significant correlation between uterine and ophthalmic artery RI values, reflecting systemic endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia.