The aim was to investigate the association between salt consumption and preeclampsia, as well as the effects of salt consumption on proteinuria, fetal-maternal Doppler parameters, and neonatal outcomes. This case-control study was conducted at a large tertiary referral hospital from December 2023 to December 2024. During this period, 139 pregnant women at ≥ 20 weeks of gestation with suspected hypertension were hospitalized for assessment. After exclusions, 27 eligible participants who developed preeclampsia during follow-up comprised the preeclampsia group, while the remaining 73, who had healthy pregnancies, served as the control group. The primary outcome measures were daily salt consumption and proteinuria; secondary outcome measures were Doppler parameters and neonatal outcomes. Causality was investigated. There was no significant difference in daily salt consumption between the preeclampsia and control groups (p = 0.490). However, in the control group, participants with proteinuria consumed significantly more salt than those without proteinuria (p 3 g/day of salt had significantly higher rates of proteinuria than those who consumed < 2 g/day (p = 0.004). Positive correlations between salt consumption and both proteinuria and 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion were found in all participants, including when only participants with proteinuria in the control group were considered. Preeclampsia is not directly related to salt consumption. However, excessive salt consumption increases the risk of proteinuria and may contribute to hypertensive pregnancy disorders.
Sucu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.