Non-invasive detection of alterations of the carotid artery in pregnant women with high-frequency ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the thickness of the layers of the carotid artery wall in pregnant and fertile non-pregnant women.


METHODS
Prospective cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Fifty-one pregnant women at a mean gestational age of 38.9 weeks and 64 fertile non-pregnant women were examined at a University hospital.


METHODS
The three layers (adventitia, media, intima) of the superficial wall of the left common carotid artery were identified and measured with high-resolution ultrasound (22.5 MHz).


RESULTS
Pregnant women had a thinner intima layer (0.25 +/- 0.07/0.29 +/- 0.08 mm) and a thicker media layer (0.31 +/- 0.08/0.27 +/- 0.09 mm) compared with controls. A statistically significantly higher intima/media ratio was calculated for the pregnant women (1.14 +/- 0.03), compared with the non-pregnant women (0.88 +/- 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
There are differences in the thickness of the histological layers of the carotid artery wall in pregnant compared with non-pregnant women. This is likely to be due to the effect of different estradiol levels in these two groups.
Sator
M O
MO
Division of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria.
Joura
E A
EA
Gruber
D M
DM
Obruca
A
A
Zeisler
H
H
Egarter
C
C
Huber
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*