Conclusion
Pre-eclampsia with severe features such as eclampsia and pulmonary oedema may inflict an insult on the brain resulting in poorer cognitive performance in close proximity to the onset of disease. These findings need to be confirmed in other populations and in greater detail. Further research is also needed to assess whether these findings are reversible or if they persist and worsen. The cognitive impairment now found at the time of a severe hypertensive disorder in pregnancy might play a role in the pathway towards the development of cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke and vascular dementia in these women.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Zukiswa Magogotye for performing cognitive function assessments.
DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
CONTRIBUTION TO AUTHORSHIP
LB and CC planned, conducted and funded the study. SS and EA recruited the women in the study and performed the cognitive function tests. LB, CC, AA, HE, LT and SH analyzed the data. LB, LT and SH performed the statistical analyses. LB wrote the initial draft that was edited by CC and AA. All co-authors read, commented and approved the final version of the manuscript.
DETAILS OF ETHICS APPROVAL
The study had ethical approval (protocol number N18/03/034, Federal Wide assurance number 00001372, Institutional Review Board number IRB0005239) and all included participants signed informed consent before being enrolled in the PROVE (Pre-eclampsia Obstetric Adverse Events) biobank. The study was initially approved on the 28th of February 2018 with annual progress reports approved yearly.
FUNDING
The study was supported by the Swedish Medical Society, Märta Lundqvist foundation and Mercy Perinatal. LB is supported by the Swedish Society for Medical Research (SSMF). SH is supported by Center for clinical research Dalarna, Uppsala University (grant CKFUU-744551) CC receives salary support from the Mercy Perinatal Foundation.
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