Pulse Pressure and Carotid Artery Doppler Velocimetry as Indicators of Maternal Volume Status: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Narrow pulse pressure has been demonstrated to indicate low central volume status. In critically ill patients, volume status can be qualitatively evaluated using Doppler velocimetry to assess hemodynamic changes in the carotid artery in response to autotransfusion with passive leg raise (PLR). Neither parameter has been prospectively evaluated in an obstetric population. The objective of this study was to determine if pulse pressure could predict the response to autotransfusion using carotid artery Doppler in healthy intrapartum women. We hypothesized that the carotid artery Doppler response to PLR would be greater in women with a narrow pulse pressure, indicating relative hypovolemia. METHODS: Intrapartum women with singleton gestations ≥35 weeks without acute or chronic medical conditions were recruited to this prospective cohort study. Participants were grouped by admission pulse pressure as

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