Evaluation of Maternal Ophthalmic Artery Doppler Indices and Its Correlation with Mean Arterial Blood Pressure in Pregnant Indian Women: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Objective: Evaluation of maternal ophthalmic artery doppler indices and its correlation with mean arterial blood pressure in pregnant Indian women. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Method: This study included 200 pregnant women aged 21 to 35, irrespective of parity. Doppler measurements of the ophthalmic artery, including peak systolic velocity, peak diastolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, pulsatility index (PI), and peak ratio, were taken using transorbital ultrasound with a 6–13 MHz probe. Patients with chronic hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or renal disease were excluded. Doppler findings were compared across trimesters and correlated with MAP. Results: Independent T-tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used for analysis. A decrease in resistivity and pulsatility indices correlated with rising blood pressure, while peak diastolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and mean PSV ratio increased. In the second trimester, the mean PSV ratio was lower than in the first and third trimesters. A mean PSV ratio of 0.55 or above indicated a MAP of 100 mmHg or above. A single eye reading with a low PI or RI value correlated with elevated MAP, even if the mean PI or mean RI appeared normal. Conclusion: Ophthalmic artery Doppler indices start showing changes before the appearance of signs and symptoms due to high BP, suggesting its utility in early detection of preeclampsia. Studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.