Change in pulse wave velocity throughout normal pregnancy and its value in predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
We longitudinally examined the changes of brachial to ankle distensibility using pulse wave velocity (PWV) throughout pregnancy and its difference between normal pregnancy and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) groups.


METHODS
One hundred and eighty-three pregnant women were included in this study. The PWV examinations were performed in a longitudinal way during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, and immediately and 1 month after delivery.


RESULTS
In normal pregnancies, the PWV significantly decreased at the second trimester, increased from the third trimester through immediately after delivery, and decreased again at 1 month after delivery. In PIH patients, it increased in proportion to the progression of gestation.


CONCLUSIONS
We monitored the longitudinal changes in PWV and constructed a PWV normogram during pregnancy. The predictive value of PWV and blood pressure for PIH was higher than that of blood pressure alone, suggesting the usefulness of measuring PWV to predict PIH.
Oyama-Kato
Mizuho
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Iidanishi, Yamagata, Japan.
Ohmichi
Masahide
M
Takahashi
Kazuhiro
K
Suzuki
Sachiko
S
Henmi
Noriko
N
Yokoyama
Yukio
Y
Kurachi
Hirohisa
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010991:Plethysmography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000502:physiology; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000502:physiology; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000502:physiology; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology