Doppler parameters of ophthalmic artery in women with preeclampsia: A meta‐analysis

Preeclampsia is a progressive and severe cardiovascular disorder in pregnant women. To determine the potential significance of ophthalmic Doppler parameters in preeclamptic women and to provide evidence‐based hints for clinical practice and scientific investigation. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library till July 31, 2022. Pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random effects model. Heterogeneity across included studies was evaluated utilizing the Q test and I 2 statistic. We identified 8 observational studies that met the inclusion criteria. The pooled SMD for peak systolic velocities (PSV) was .12 (95% CI: −.82, 1.06, p = .8071; I 2 = 94%, p < .0001). The overall SMD for time‐averaged mean peak velocities (MV) was 1.79 (95% CI: .87, 2.71, p = .0001; I 2 = 60%, p = .1152). Regarding the pulsatility index (PI), the pooled SMD was −2.05 (95% CI: −3.12, −.98, p = .0002; I 2 = 92%, p < .0001). Overall SMD for end‐diastolic velocities (EDV) was 1.11 (95% CI: .23, 1.98, p = .0136; I 2 = 92%, p < .0001). The pooled SMDs for resistance index (RI) and peak ratio (PR) was −.18 (95% CI: −1.90, 1.53, p = .8333; I 2 = 96%, p < .0001) and 1.46 (95% CI: −1.30, 4.22, p = .2994; I 2 = 99%, p < .0001), respectively. Publication bias was not identified. MV, PI, and EDV showed significant differences between patients with preeclampsia and non‐hypertensive pregnant participants. Studies on the predictive performance of ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters are warranted.