Pregnant women with an abnormal condition of pregnancy called pre-eclampsia, which raises blood pressure, showed significantly smaller upper airways than did either nonpregnant women or those with normal pregnancies. According to the authors of the British study, these results could explain why such patients have an increased upper airway resistance while sleeping and a resulting rise in blood pressure. The researchers measured the upper airway caliber in 137 women: 50 women in the third trimester of a normal pregnancy; 37 patients with pre-eclampsia; and 50 healthy, nonpregnant women. Pre-eclampsia, which develops in 5 percent of pregnancies, does not occur until the 20th week of gestation or later. The problem is characterized by hypertension, swelling from fluid in the face and hands, and the presence of protein in the urine. The investigators found that patients with pre-eclampsia had a significantly narrower upper airway when either seated or when lying on their back, as compared with nonpregnant women. The women with pre-eclampsia also had a significantly larger neck circumference than normal pregnant women. This difference was believed to be due to tissue edema. The study appears in the second issue for January 2003 of the American Thoracic Society's peer-reviewed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

WORK STATUS IMPROVING IN ADULT CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS

Pulmonary function and exercise capacity testing have limited utility in predicting whether adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) can either work or go to school. CF is an inherited illness, usually diagnosed during childhood. It is characterized by glands in the pancreas, lungs, and intestines becoming clogged with thick mucus. However, despite the seriousness of the problem, the researchers point out that advances in diagnosis and treatment have led to substantial increases in survival. Yet, in light of the progressive nature of the disease, the q
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Contact: Cathy Carlomagno
ccarlomagno@thoraic.org
212-315-6442
American Thoracic Society
13-Jan-2003

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