Characteristics of labor-onset hypertension persist after neuraxial labor analgesia.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the rate of labor-onset hypertension (LOH) under neuraxial labor analgesia and the effect of neuraxial labor analgesia on LOH. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital from 2015 to 2016. Patients who were admitted to the hospital for vaginal delivery under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia were selected. LOH was defined as the elevation of systolic blood pressure (BP) to ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP to ≥90 mmHg for the first time after the onset of labor. Cases of LOH that persisted after neuraxial labor analgesia (prolonged LOH) were further analyzed to determine the hypertension severity and therapeutic intervention rate. RESULTS: Among 775 patients, 213 (28.4%) developed LOH. Prolonged LOH was observed in 30 patients (3.9%). LOH severity and the likelihood of prolonged LOH were positively correlated. Therapeutic intervention was administered only to the patients with prolonged LOH, that is, to 100% of those with emergent hypertension, to 21.1% of those with severe hypertension during labor, and to 36.8% of those with severe hypertension, to 55.6% of those with mild hypertension in the post-partum period. CONCLUSION: The rate of LOH was reduced significantly after neuraxial labor analgesia. Patients with prolonged LOH should be carefully followed up during labor and in the post-partum period because such patients often require antihypertensive therapy.