Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on ophthalmic artery flow velocity waveforms in full-term pregnant women.

The possible effects of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on orbital circulation in 14 term pregnant women were examined by color Doppler flow mapping and pulsed Doppler ultrasound assessments of ophthalmic artery blood flow velocities before and 3 minutes after the intravenous drug injection. Blood pressure, heart rate, peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, time-averaged mean peak velocity, and pulsatility index were studied. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate injected intravenously had little effect on blood pressure, heart rate, and peak systolic velocity, increasing (p < 0.02) the mean end-diastolic velocity from 3.7 +/- 1.7 to 4.9 +/- 2.0 cm/s (mean +/- SD) and the mean time-averaged mean peak velocity (p < 0.02) from 9.8 +/- 3.2 to 12.1 +/- 3.9 cm/s (mean +/- SD). The mean pulsatility index decreased simultaneously (p < 0.02) from 2.75 +/- 0.79 to 2.29 +/- 0.58 (mean +/- SD). Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate vasodilates the ophthalmic artery, increasing blood flows in term pregnant women, and similar changes might occur in other cerebral vessels. It seems that this vasodilative effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate is expected for treatment of preeclampsia.