Development of Non-invasive Biomarkers for Pre-eclampsia Through Data-driven Cardiovascular Network Models

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2024 Oct 4

PMID 39367038

Authors

Claudia Popp

Jason M Carson

Alex B Drysdale

Hari Arora

Edward D Johnstone

Jenny E Myers

Raoul van Loon

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Computational models can be at the basis of new powerful technologies for studying and classifying disorders like pre-eclampsia, where it is difficult to distinguish pre-eclamptic patients from non-pre-eclamptic based on pressure when patients have a track record of hypertension. Computational models now enable a detailed analysis of how pregnancy affects the cardiovascular system. Therefore, new non-invasive biomarkers were developed that can aid the classification of pre-eclampsia through the integration of six different measured non-invasive cardiovascular signals. Datasets of 21 pregnant women (no early onset pre-eclampsia, n = 12; early onset pre-eclampsia, n = 9) were used to create personalised cardiovascular models through computational modelling resulting in predictions of blood pressure and flow waveforms in all major and minor vessels of the utero-ovarian system. The analysis performed revealed that the new predictors PPI (pressure pulsatility index) and RI (resistance index) calculated in arcuate and radial/spiral arteries are able to differentiate between the 2 groups of women (t-test scores of p < .001) better than PI (pulsatility index) and RI (Doppler calculated in the uterine artery) for both supervised and unsupervised classification. In conclusion, two novel high-performing biomarkers for the classification of pre-eclampsia have been identified based on blood velocity and pressure predictions in the smaller placental vasculatures where non-invasive measurements are not feasible.

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