Abstract
Background: Recently, epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between pregnancy complications and the development of coronary artery disease later in life. The current study investigate the relation between obstructive coronary versus normal coronary angiographies and the prevalence of complications during pregnancy including preeclampsia, pregnancy induced-hypertension, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Methods: All consecutive women aged <55 year, who had coronary angiography were included. Based on angiography outcome, patients were classified as normal (controls: no stenosis, wall irregularity without stenosis, or minimal calcification present) or abnormal (subjects). A standard questionnaire was sent to all participating women. The questionnaires inquired into risk factors for coronary vascular disease, in particular history of hypertensive diseases, and specific obstetric history. The results were analyzed using the unpaired t-test, the Chi-squared test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficients as appropriate. A significance level of P < 0.05 was used. Results: Of the 211 consecutive women aged <55 year, 62% (n = 131) had normal coronary angiography and 38% (n = 80) abnormal coronary angiography. We found no differences of reported pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, hypertension, low birth weight, and preterm birth (combined RR = 0.70, 95% C.I. = 0.38 - 1.3) in case of abnormal coronary angiography compared to women with normal coronary angiography. The traditional risk factors hypercholesterolemia, tobacco use, and diabetes were identified as the major risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, with a relative risk ranging from 4.2 - 1.8. Conclusion: These data suggest that pregnancy complications are not an important denominator for cardiovascular disease.
Highlights
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of disability and early death in the developed world
We found no differences of reported pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, hypertension, low birth weight, and preterm birth in case of abnormal coronary angiography compared to women with normal coronary angiography
No differences were found in the prevalence of pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, hypertension, low birth weight, and preterm birth between women with a normal angiography and women with abnormal angiography
Summary
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of disability and early death in the developed world. Risk factors for developing preeclampsia include dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, hypercoagulability, and inflammation during pregnancy Most of these factors are well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease [3]. It is unclear whether preeclampsia increases the chance of developing cardiovascular disease in later life or that preeclampsia is a pre-existing risk factor that manifests during pregnancy. The latter hypothesis suggests that pregnancy is a stress test for diseases in later life [5,6]. We have identified risk factors for cardiovascular risk in women with abnormal coronary angiography
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