ABSTRACT
Forty patients participated in a randomized controlled trial of complete bed rest versus ambulation as desired in the management of proteinuric hypertension during pregnancy. Daily increases in serum human placental lactogen and oestriol concentrations were greater in the rested group. An especially 'at risk' group of 10 patients with both hyperuricaemia and severe fetal growth retardation was identified. Strict confinement to bed in these cases seemed to encourage the development of the premonitory symptoms of eclampsia, but was associated with a better prognosis for the fetus.
Subject(s)
Ambulatory Care , Bed Rest , Hypertension/therapy , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/therapy , Proteinuria/therapy , Adult , Clinical Trials as Topic , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Random Allocation , RiskABSTRACT
Plasma urea and urate concentrations were determined daily for up to seven days in 40 pregnant women who had been admitted to hospital because of proteinuric hypertension and who were then allocated at random to either complete rest in bed or to being allowed to move freely in the ward. Neither management was superior to the other in improving renal function. The prognostic significance of plasma urea and urate concentrations to maternal and fetal outcome was confirmed.