Malin Andersson: Preeclampsia – a systemic disease
Research presented in Malin Andersson’s doctoral thesis shows that preeclampsia is a systemic disease that affects several vital organs. A better understanding of these processes could help improve monitoring, risk assessment, and long-term follow-up care for women affected by the condition.
Dissertation defense: 6 November 2026 (click for details)
Doctoral thesis: Organ failure in preeclampsia
Research area: Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
Sahlgrenska Academy, The Institute of Clinical Sciences
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that affects approximately 3–5 percent of pregnant women in Sweden. The condition is characterized by high blood pressure and dysfunction in several of the mother's organs. It can lead to serious complications and an increased risk of death for both mother and baby.
The condition develops when the placenta does not function normally, causing various stress-related factors to be released into the mother's bloodstream and affecting organs throughout the body. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood.
“Preeclampsia has interested me for a long time because of the effects on different organs that I have observed and managed in my daily clinical practice. The aim of my thesis was therefore to increase our understanding of how the brain, heart, and blood clotting system are affected,” says Malin Andersson, senior consultant anesthesiologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra Hospital and doctoral student at the Institute of Clinical Sciences.
Subtle changes persist in some women
The thesis is based on four studies. One investigated biomarker that reflect changes in the nervous system. Analyses of blood and cerebrospinal fluid showed that levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve cell damage, were elevated in women with preeclampsia compared with healthy pregnant women.
“These findings suggest that the brain may be affected even when there are no obvious neurological symptoms.”
Two other studies examined heart function using echocardiography and blood tests. The researchers found signs of cardiac strain in women with preeclampsia, particularly affecting the heart's ability to relax and fill with blood between beats. Heart function had improved in most women one year after pregnancy. However, subtle changes persisted in some women, and one in four still had high blood pressure.
The fourth study investigated blood clotting and platelet function.
“Taken together, the findings suggest that preeclampsia can affect the brain even in the absence of obvious symptoms, cause changes in heart function that are often temporary but sometimes persist and alter the blood's ability to clot.”
What has been the most rewarding and challenging part of your doctoral project?
“It has been fascinating to start by studying the condition in clinical practice, then explore the published research, develop a research idea, and put a study into practice. And finally, to return to clinical work with greater knowledge and a deeper understanding.”
Text: Susanne Lj Westergren