Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40012419›Full record

SynthesisClinical pharmacology and therapeutics2025

QTc Interval Changes in Preeclampsia vs. Normal Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Omar A Aboshady, Jess Z Raffa, Sara K Quinney, James E Tisdale, Brian R Overholser

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Omar A AboshadyDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1505-3175
Jess Z RaffaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.ORCID 0009-0009-1223-2910
Sara K QuinneyDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6554-0695
James E TisdaleDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2117-9463
Brian R OverholserDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3055-9916

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pregnancy induces significant adaptations in the cardio-autonomic nervous system, with additional cardiac stress in preeclampsia potentially impacting ventricular repolarization. Despite the widespread use of QT-prolonging drugs during pregnancy, the extent of heart rate (HR)-corrected QT (QTc) interval changes during normal pregnancy and preeclampsia remains unclear. This study aimed to quantify changes in QTc interval across different trimesters of normal pregnancy and third-trimester preeclampsia. Eight databases were systematically searched from their inception to January 13, 2025. Any type of study design, except case reports/series, reporting QT interval and HR or RR interval, and/or QTc interval for at least one trimester were included. Those reporting at least two trimesters or one trimester with nonpregnant controls were pooled in meta-analyses using random-effect models to calculate pooled mean differences (MD) across trimesters. Data from 57 studies (6,686 participants) were included with 33 studies (5,153 participants) pooled in meta-analyses. Compared with nonpregnant individuals, QTc intervals increased across trimesters of normal pregnancy and in third-trimester preeclampsia. Meta-analyses revealed significant increases in QTc interval during first (MD = 10.0 msec), second (MD = 20.2 msec), and third trimesters (MD = 23.0 msec) compared with nonpregnant individuals. Furthermore, preeclampsia increased the QTc interval by 21.7 msec during the third trimester compared to normal pregnancy. No publication bias was detected, and the overall quality scores of most studies were fair (n = 23) or poor (n = 33). A significant QTc interval lengthening throughout normal pregnancy was identified, and to a greater extent during preeclampsia. The arrhythmogenicity in third-trimester preeclampsia with a known risk for QTc interval prolongation, especially with using QT-prolonging drugs, warrants further investigation.

Indexed as

Heart RateLong QT SyndromePre-EclampsiaElectrocardiographyFemaleHumansPregnancyPregnancy TrimestersPregnancy Trimester, Third

Identifiers

PMID40012419
PMCPMC12087697

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.