Preeclampsia/eclampsia: hemodynamic and neurologic correlations.

Three patients with eclampsia and four with severe preeclampsia underwent pulmonary artery catheterization before either labor or significant volume infusion. There was no difference in systemic or pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac index, left ventricular stroke work index, or any other hemodynamic parameters between the eclamptic and severely preeclamptic patients. Despite the small numbers, plasma colloid osmotic pressures were significantly lower in the eclamptic patients. Factors other than the intensity of peripheral vasospasm may primarily affect the occurrence of grand mal seizures in patients with preeclampsia.