Comparison of the effects of spinal anesthesia between pre-eclamptic patients and normal pregnant women during cesarean section

Objective: To compare the effects of spinal anesthesia between pre-eclamptic patients and normal pregnant women during cesarean section. Methodology: The participants of this hospital-based cohort study consisted of 60 women. Their age range was between 18-40. Thirty patients were pre-eclamptic and the others were normal pregnant women. Spinal anesthesia was administered with 2ml lidocaine 5%. Hemodynamic changes, dose of ephedrine requirement, incidence of nausea and Apgar score were compared between two groups. Data were transformed to the SPSS software. Then Chi-square, T-student and Fischer exact tests were performed for statistical analysis. Results: There was no significant statistical difference of age and weight between two groups. In regard to basic, post spinal and post ephedrine systolic and diastolic blood pressure, significant statistical differences were noted. Similarly as regards the number of patients who developed hypotension and the dose of ephedrine injection, there were meaningful statistical differences between two groups. Conclusions: Development of hypotension and dosage of ephedrine injection in pre-eclamptic patients were less than healthy pregnant women during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. As such spinal anesthesia is a safe method for cesarean section in pre-eclamptic patients