title: Association between abnormal uterine artery Doppler flow velocimetry, risk of preeclampsia, and indices of arterial structure and function: a pilot study.
abstract: Preeclampsia increases the risk of future cardiovascular disease. The association between abnormal uterine artery Doppler flow velocimetry, risk of preeclampsia, and indices of arterial structure and function is investigated in this study. The carotid intima-media thickness of 34 pregnant women with normal uteroplacental flow was compared with 30 women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler analysis during the transvaginal assessment of the uterine arteries at the routine anomaly scan (20-23 weeks of gestation). Women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler results had a greater mean internal (but not common) carotid intima-media thickness (0.58 +/- 0.06 vs 0.53 +/- 0.08, respectively, P = .005) and risk of developing preeclampsia (6 of 30 vs 0 of 34 or 20% vs 0%, respectively, P = .0079) compared with those with normal uteroplacental flow. Women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler results may be at increased risk not only for developing subsequent preeclampsia but also for future cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, University of Athens, Greece. loufty28@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anastasakis
authors.forename: Kosmas I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Paraskevas
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papantoniou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mesogitis
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D021041:Placental Circulation; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*