Abstract
Introduction
Even in normal pregnancies, physiologic functional and structural cardiovascular adjustments are required for progression of a successful pregnancy. In preeclamptic patients, these pregnancy-induced adaptive processes are intensified. It has been suggested that preeclampsia should be regarded as a failed stress test, a marker for increased later life cardiovascular risk.
Purpose
To differentiate between cardiovascular remodelling patterns in preeclamptic vs. normal pregnancies, using echocardiography and digital photoplethysmography.
Material
We conducted a single-center case–control study, performing cardiovascular assessment during last trimester of pregnancy in 56 pregnant women with preeclamsia (PE) and 62 healthy pregnant women, without CV risk factors.
Echocardiography was performed to characterize left ventricular (LV) remodelling patterns and to assess LV systolic and dyastolic function. Also, digital photoplethysmography was used to determine stiffness index (SI) and vascular age (VA). Data between groups were compared.
Results
The two groups were matched by age (30.42±6.37 vs 29.96±5.18 y/o, p=0.74), body mass index (29.84±5.31 vs. 28.53±5.33g, p=0.30), and parity (primiparous 33 vs. 25, p=0.47, multiparous 23 vs. 27, p=0.78). The prevalence of LV hypertrophy, expressed as LV mass (185.75±39.61 vs. 144.85±28.81 g, p=0.0023) and LV relative wall thickness (0.49±0.08 vs. 0.42±0.069), was higher in preeclamptic women, corresponding to higher blood pressure values (systolic blood pressure 164.27±20.09 vs 114±18.04 mmHg, p=0.0014, dyastolic blood pressure 103.22±14.13 vs. 72.83±11.34 mmHg, p=0.0015). The most common remodeling type in preeclamptic group was concentric hypertrophy (28/56, 50%), while in normal pregnancy group, normal geometry (21/62, 34%) and concentric remodeling (21/62, 34%), were more frequently encountered. No significant differences between groups were found in terms of LV ejection fraction, while dyastolic LV function, depicted through transmitral flow parameters, varied only when E/A ratio was measured (1.38±0.34 vs. 1.62±0.46, p=0.03). In preeclamptic women, SI was increased (9.27±1.86 vs. 7.13±1.86 m/s, p=0.0091), with a significantly higher VA also (47.44±21.61 vs. 28.75±7.51y/o, p=0.0001), for a similar maternal age of the study groups.
Conclusions
We documented a higher prevalence of LV hypertrophy, with the concentric remodelling pattern predominance, as well as a significantly advanced vascular age due to an increased arterial stiffness, among preeclamptic group. Follow-up of these patients may reveal features, or cut-off values, useful to early identify a population that may benefit from early interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.
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