TITLE:
Cardiovascular Outcome Related to Pregnancies Complicated by Preeclampsia in Three Hospitals in Yaounde
AUTHORS:
Christian Ngongang Ouankou, Oumy Aboubakar Garba Hawa Koubouratou, Loïc Mekem Tatsipie, Junie Annick Metogo Ntsama, Sylvain Raoul Simeni Njonnu, Obile Vanelle Teufouet Nguetsa, Pierre Marie Tebeu
KEYWORDS:
Cardiovascular Disease, Outcomes, Preeclampsia, Yaounde
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Vol.16 No.5,
May
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Preeclampsia is associated with an increased lifetime-risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly through the occurrence of persistent hypertension, renal diseases, heart failure, and other cardiovascular events shortly or years after preeclampsia. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular outcome related to pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia in Yaounde (Cameroon). We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study with prospective and retrospective collection of data over a period of seven months (November 18, 2021 to June 01, 2022) of women with a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia between January 2015 and June 2021 in three hospitals in Yaounde. We included all women with a confirmed history of preeclampsia and having given their consent for the study whereas, women with pre-pregnancy cardiovascular comorbidities (chronic hypertension, cardiac disease, chronic kidney disease or diabetes mellitus), those pregnant during our study period and those less than 6months postpartum were excluded. Hypertension on Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) was considered the dependent variable. Descriptive statistics were performed to express participant’s characteristics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted and odds ratio calculated with their 95% confidence interval to identify independent associated risk factors. Potential confounding factors were identified using chi-square tests of Pearson. We included 113 women, with 46 (40.7%) having persistent hypertension, with the most represented hypertensive phenotypes being sustained hypertension 30 (26.5%) and 77 (68.1%) had a disadvantageous dipping pattern. Factors found to be associated to persistent hypertension were: family history of hypertension (OR = 5.33 (1.20 - 23.60); p = 0.03), severe PE at diagnosis (OR = 13.19 (1.67 - 104.28); p = 0.01) and preeclampsia in prior pregnancies (OR = 4.99 (1.11 - 22.36); p = 0.04). The cardiovascular outcomes related to preeclampsia in our study were; Persistent hypertension (about two in five women), left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure. Ultimately, women with history of preeclampsia should be screened for cardiovascular risk factors and offered treatment in order to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.