title: Arterial stiffness and wave reflection 1 year after a pregnancy complicated by hypertension.
abstract: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. The authors investigated the association of HDP with blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness 1-year postpartum. Seventy-four participants, 33 with an HDP and 41 with uncomplicated pregnancies, were examined using applanation tonometry to measure BP, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and augmentation index (AIx). On average, women with HDP had a 9 mm higher systolic BP (P<.01), 0.8 m/s faster cfPWV (P=.09), and 5.4% greater AIx (P=.09) at the 1-year examination. After adjustment for covariates, there was no significant difference in cfPWV between groups, while a 7.3% greater AIx (P<.05) remained. These findings suggest that reduced endothelial function may be detected 1 year after HDP. Large prospective studies are needed to further understand the contribution of arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in the evolution of CVD after these complicated pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE; Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Deborah B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Ehrenthal
authors.forename: Neal D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Raymond R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008365:Manometry; D009517:New South Wales; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein