Pre-eclampsia screening with maternal risk factors and ophthalmic Doppler artery: a systematic review

Pre-eclampsia (PE) affects 2–8% of pregnant women and is a major cause of maternal and perinatal complications. Early risk identification is critical to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. This systematic review evaluates the role of ophthalmic Doppler arteries parameters, combined with maternal risk factors, physical examination results, and laboratory results for PE screening. Relevant articles were identified from PubMed, Wiley Online Library, and ScienceDirect using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Articles were screened in two stages – primary extraction by title and abstract, followed by full-text evaluation. The final analysis included observational studies and randomized trials assessing PE prediction using ophthalmic Doppler artery indices. Of the 103 records screened, 24 articles were retrieved, and 7 met the eligibility criteria. All studies examined ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters – especially the peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio – for PE screening across different gestational ages. The PSV ratio showed moderate-to-high predictive value when combined with established clinical biomarkers. The ophthalmic Doppler artery is regarded as a viable alternative or combination for early detection of PE that is simple to implement and effective, particularly in healthcare facilities in developing countries. However, further large-scale, externally validated studies are needed to establish its clinical utility across different gestational stages.