Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Dohrmann, M.
Preeclampsia and smoking, and their effects on the retinal microvasculature – a literature review
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2022. pp. 51
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Cervar-Zivkovic Mila
- Goswami Nandu
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Background: Preeclampsia, remaining a severe complication in pregnancies, alters the vasco-endothelial health in pregnant women causing hypertension and organ dysfunction. Cigarette smoking has been shown to have adverse effects on vascular functions as well. However, how cigarette smoking affects the microvasculature in women with high risk of pre-eclampsia is not well known. Retinal microvasculature photography can be used to detect changes to the microvasculature and seems like a useful tool to compare the changes in the microvasculature caused by preeclampsia and smoking. Aims: To provide an overview of selected studies investigating the relation of smoking or preeclampsia and the retinal microvasculature to understand the possible associations between both and to highlight the mechanisms by which they correlate. Methodology: We used the approach of a narrative literature review. Search for suitable articles was committed on PubMed with the determined key words. Results: In total 13 studies were included in the review after screening and evaluating. Evidence strongly hints at a paradoxically positive relation between smoking and the risk for preeclampsia reducing it significantly. The studies show a narrowing of the retinal vessel calibre in women with PE and oppositional a widening in the calibre of the retinal vessels in people who smoke. Angiogenic factors and carbon monoxide may be some of the mechanisms involved in the paradox relation. Conclusions: This review is not supposed to advocate smoking during pregnancy as the adverse effects still outweigh the protection from preeclampsia. The counteracting effects on the microvasculature might be responsible for the protective effect of smoking but needs more investigation. Therapy of preeclampsia might change with the knowledge of the mechanisms and earlier diagnosis might be performed with the help of retinal photography.