Proteinuria in Preeclampsia and Long-Term Risk of Maternal Kidney and Cardiovascular Disease

Overview

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure and signs of organ stress, most often detected after 20 weeks of gestation. One of its hallmark features is protein in the urine, known as proteinuria or urinary protein excretion (UPE). Although preeclampsia usually improves after delivery, it is increasingly recognized as a warning sign for a woman’s future health.

This population-based cohort study from Denmark examined whether the amount of protein excreted in the urine during preeclampsia is linked to long-term risks of maternal hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The findings suggest that preeclampsia is associated with higher long-term risks of these conditions, and that higher proteinuria levels are especially predictive of later kidney disease and, to a lesser extent, later hypertension.