What finding is used to diagnose preeclampsia?

What finding is used to diagnose preeclampsia?

• A. Hypotension
• B. Hyperglycemia
• C. Proteinuria
• D. Anemia

Answer: (C)

Preeclampsia is diagnosed when new-onset hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation is accompanied by evidence of renal involvement, most commonly protein in the urine. Proteinuria reflects the kidney’s response to the abnormal placental vasculature and endothelial dysfunction that characterizes this condition. It’s typically defined as at least 300 mg of protein in a 24-hour urine collection, or a protein-to-creatinine ratio of ≥0.3, with dipstick testing (1+ or greater) used less precisely but often noted clinically. While severe cases can be diagnosed with end-organ signs even without proteinuria, the finding most strongly linked to diagnosis in classic criteria is proteinuria. The other options—low blood pressure, high blood glucose, or anemia—do not define preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is diagnosed when new-onset hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation is accompanied by evidence of renal involvement, most commonly protein in the urine. Proteinuria reflects the kidney’s response to the abnormal placental vasculature and endothelial dysfunction that characterizes this condition. It’s typically defined as at least 300 mg of protein in a 24-hour urine collection, or a protein-to-creatinine ratio of ≥0.3, with dipstick testing (1+ or greater) used less precisely but often noted clinically. While severe cases can be diagnosed with end-organ signs even without proteinuria, the finding most strongly linked to diagnosis in classic criteria is proteinuria. The other options—low blood pressure, high blood glucose, or anemia—do not define preeclampsia.