Abstract
BackgroundThe aims were to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on carotid artery elasticity and determine the associations between maternal lipids, endothelial function and arterial elasticity during pregnancy.MethodsWe examined 99 pregnant and 99 matched non-pregnant control women as part of a population-based prospective cohort study. Carotid artery elasticity indexes; carotid artery distensibility (CAD), Young’s elastic modulus (YEM) and stiffness index (SI) as well as brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were assessed using ultrasound; serum lipid levels were also determined.ResultsSI was 57% and YEM 75% higher and CAD 36% lower in the third trimester group than the corresponding values in the first trimester group. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in women at the end of the pregnancy than at the beginning of pregnancy (P < 0.001) and in controls (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, gestational age was the only independent correlate of arterial elasticity in pregnant women. In controls, age (P ≤ 0.001) and common carotid diameter (P = 0.001-0.029) were associated with SI, YEM and CAD.ConclusionsThe present study revealed that carotid artery elasticity declined towards the end of the pregnancy; this neither is straight correlating with maternal hyperlipidemia or the diameter of the carotid artery nor is it associated with changes in endothelial function.
Highlights
The aims were to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on carotid artery elasticity and determine the associations between maternal lipids, endothelial function and arterial elasticity during pregnancy
We have demonstrated that pregnancy contributes to brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) suggesting that vascular endothelial function is altered during pregnancy [11]
In the first trimester group the mean weight, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides were lower than the corresponding values in the second or the third trimester groups and in the controls
Summary
The aims were to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on carotid artery elasticity and determine the associations between maternal lipids, endothelial function and arterial elasticity during pregnancy. Arterial stiffness during uncomplicated pregnancy has been examined with many techniques with various results [1,2,3,4] and during hypertonic pregnancies [5,6]. We have demonstrated that pregnancy contributes to brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) suggesting that vascular endothelial function is altered during pregnancy [11]. We hypothesized that both pregnancy-related changes, maternal hyperlipidemia and enhanced endothelial function, could contribute to arterial elasticity
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