Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women with a history of pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction

Maternal vascular indices at 36 weeks' gestation in pregnancy with small or growth-restricted fetus

OBJECTIVE

To compare maternal vascular indices and hemodynamic parameters at 35-37 weeks' gestation in pregnancies complicated by delivery of a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or growth-restricted (FGR) neonate.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study of women with a singleton pregnancy attending for a routine hospital visit at 35 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks' gestation. The visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics, medical history, vascular indices and hemodynamic parameters, which were obtained using a non-invasive operator-independent device and included pulse-wave velocity, augmentation index, cardiac output, stroke volume, central systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total peripheral resistance and heart rate. Women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were excluded. SGA was diagnosed if birth weight was < 10th percentile. FGR was diagnosed if, in addition to birth weight < 10th percentile, at the 35-37-week scan, uterine artery or umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI) was > 95th percentile or fetal middle cerebral artery PI was < 5th percentile.

RESULTS

Among the 6413 women included in the study, there were 605 (9.4%) cases of SGA, 133 (2.1%) cases of FGR and 5675 (88.5%) cases that were unaffected by SGA or FGR. Women with SGA or FGR, compared to unaffected pregnancies, had increased peripheral vascular resistance and reduced cardiac output. Central systolic and diastolic blood pressure were increased in the FGR group compared with the unaffected group. Aortic stiffness, as assessed by pulse-wave velocity, and augmentation index did not differ between affected and unaffected pregnancies. In the FGR group, compared with the SGA group, central systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher, whereas heart rate was lower.

CONCLUSIONS

SGA and FGR pregnancies exhibit deranged maternal hemodynamic responses compared with unaffected pregnancies. Pregnancies with FGR have higher central blood pressure compared to those with SGA, but it remains unclear whether these differences are driven by the size of the fetus or pathological fetal growth. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Cesarean delivery, labor duration, and mothers' mortality risk over 50 years of follow-up

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy complications have been recognized as a window to future health. Though cesarean delivery is common, it is unknown whether labor duration and mode of delivery are associated with maternal long-term mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether labor duration and mode of delivery were associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

Participants were mothers from the multisite Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) cohort (1959-1966; n=43,646, limited to last CPP delivery). We ascertained all-cause and specific causes of death as of 2016 via linkage to the National Death Index and Social Security Death Master File. Hazard ratios (HR) testing mode of delivery and labor duration were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics. We further stratified analyses by parity.

RESULTS

Among participants with a recorded delivery mode, 5.9% (2486/42,335) had a cesarean delivery. Participants who had a cesarean were older (26.9 vs 24.3 years), with higher body mass index (24.0 vs 22.7 kg/m2), were less likely to be nulliparous (21% vs 30%), and more likely to have a household income of at least $6000 (22% vs 17%), to smoke ≥1 pack/d (18% vs 15%), to have diabetes mellitus (12% vs 1%) and to have a prior medical condition (47% vs 34%), compared to participants with a vaginal delivery. Delivery mode was similar by race/ethnicity, marital status, and education. Median labor duration was 395 minutes among participants who had an intrapartum cesarean delivery and 350 minutes among participants delivered vaginally. By 2016, 52.2% of participants with a cesarean delivery and 38.5% of participants with a vaginal delivery had died. Cesarean vs vaginal delivery was significantly associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality (HR=1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09, 1.23); in nulliparas, HR=1.27 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.47); in multiparas, HR=1.13 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.21) as well as increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, infection, and kidney disease. Associations with death from cardiovascular disease, infection, and kidney disease were stronger for multiparas than nulliparas, though the association with death from diabetes was stronger among nulliparas. Labor duration was not significantly related to overall mortality.

CONCLUSION

In a historic United States cohort with a low cesarean delivery rate, cesarean delivery was an indicator for subsequent increased mortality risk, particularly related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Future studies with long-term follow-up are warranted given the current high prevalence of cesarean delivery.

Early- to mid-gestational testosterone excess leads to adverse cardiac outcomes in postpartum sheep

Cardiovascular dysfunctions complicate 10-20% of pregnancies, increasing the risk for postpartum mortality. Various gestational insults, including preeclampsia are reported to be associated with adverse maternal cardiovascular outcomes. One such insult, gestational hyperandrogenism increases the risk for preeclampsia and other gestational morbidities but its impact on postpartum maternal health is not well known. We hypothesize that gestational hyperandrogenism such as testosterone (T) excess will adversely impact the maternal heart in the postpartum period. Pregnant ewes were injected with T propionate from day 30 to day 90 of gestation (term 147 days). Three months postpartum, echocardiograms, plasma cytokine profiles, cardiac morphometric, and molecular analysis were conducted [control (C) n = 6, T-treated (T) n = 7 number of animals]. Data were analyzed by two-tailed Student's t test and Cohen's effect size (d) analysis. There was a nonsignificant large magnitude decrease in cardiac output (7.64 ± 1.27 L/min vs. 10.19 ± 1.40, P = 0.22, d = 0.81) and fractional shortening in the T ewes compared with C (35.83 ± 2.33% vs. 41.50 ± 2.84, P = 0.15, d = 0.89). T treatment significantly increased 1) left ventricle (LV) weight-to-body weight ratio (2.82 ± 0.14 g/kg vs. 2.46 ± 0.08) and LV thickness (14.56 ± 0.52 mm vs. 12.50 ± 0.75), 2) proinflammatory marker [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)] in LV (1.66 ± 0.35 vs. 1.06 ± 0.18), 3) LV collagen (Masson's Trichrome stain: 3.38 ± 0.35 vs. 1.49 ± 0.15 and Picrosirius red stain: 5.50 ± 0.32 vs. 3.01 ± 0.23), 4) markers of LV apoptosis, including TUNEL (8.3 ± 1.1 vs. 0.9 ± 0.18), bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax)+-to-b-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)+ ratio (0.68 ± 0.30 vs. 0.13 ± 0.02), and cleaved caspase 3 (15.4 ± 1.7 vs. 4.4 ± 0.38). These findings suggest that gestational testosterone excess adversely programs the maternal LV, leading to adverse structural and functional consequences in the postpartum period.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using a sheep model of human translational relevance, this study provides evidence that excess gestational testosterone exposure such as that seen in hyperandrogenic disorders adversely impacts postpartum maternal hearts.

Dyslipidemia management in women of reproductive potential: An expert clinical consensus from the national lipid association

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women and its incidence has been increasing recently, particularly among younger women. Across major professional society guidelines, dyslipidemia management remains a central tenet for atherosclerotic CVD prevention for both women and men. Despite this, women, particularly young women, who are candidates for statin therapy are less likely to be treated and less likely to achieve their recommended therapeutic objectives for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Elevated LDL-C and triglycerides are the two most common dyslipidemias that should be addressed during pregnancy due to the increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and pre-term delivery, as well as pancreatitis in the presence of severe hypertriglyceridemia. In this National Lipid Association Expert Clinical Consensus, we review the roles of nutrition, physical activity, and pharmacotherapy as strategies to address elevated levels of LDL-C and/or triglycerides among women of reproductive age. We include a special focus on points to consider during the shared decision-making discussion regarding pharmacotherapy for dyslipidemia during preconception planning, pregnancy, and lactation.

Ophthalmic artery Doppler and biomarkers of impaired placentation at 36 weeks' gestation in pregnancies with small fetuses

OBJECTIVES

First, to compare ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio and biomarkers of impaired placentation at 36 weeks' gestation in women who delivered a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or growth-restricted (FGR) neonate, in the absence of hypertensive disorder, with those of women who developed pre-eclampsia (PE) or gestational hypertension (GH) and of women unaffected by SGA, FGR, PE or GH. Second, to examine the associations of PSV ratio, uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI), placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) with birth-weight Z-score or percentile.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study of women with a singleton pregnancy attending for a routine hospital visit at 35 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks' gestation. This visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, ultrasound examination of fetal anatomy and growth, and measurement of maternal ophthalmic artery PSV ratio, UtA-PI, PlGF and sFlt-1. Values of PSV ratio, UtA-PI, PlGF and sFlt-1 were converted to multiples of the median (MoM) or delta values. Median MoM or deltas of these biomarkers in the SGA, FGR, PE and GH groups were compared with those in the unaffected group. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship of PSV ratio delta, UtA-PI MoM, PlGF MoM and sFlt-1 MoM with birth-weight Z-score, after exclusion of PE and GH cases.

RESULTS

The study population of 9033 pregnancies included 7696 (85.2%) that were not affected by FGR, SGA, PE or GH, 182 (2.0%) complicated by FGR in the absence of PE or GH, 698 (7.7%) with SGA in the absence of FGR, PE or GH, 236 (2.6%) with PE and 221 (2.4%) with GH. Compared with unaffected pregnancies, in the FGR and SGA groups, the PSV ratio delta and sFlt-1 MoM were increased and PlGF MoM was decreased; UtA-PI MoM was increased in the FGR group but not the SGA group. The magnitude of the changes in biomarker values relative to the unaffected group was smaller in the FGR and SGA groups than that in the PE and GH groups. In non-hypertensive pregnancies, there were significant inverse associations of PSV ratio delta and UtA-PI MoM with birth-weight Z-score, such that the values were increased in small babies and decreased in large babies. There was a quadratic relationship between PlGF MoM and birth-weight Z-score, with low PlGF levels in small babies and high PlGF levels in large babies. There was no significant association between sFlt-1 MoM and birth-weight Z-score.

CONCLUSIONS

Ophthalmic artery PSV ratio, reflective of peripheral vascular resistance, and UtA-PI, PlGF and sFlt-1, biomarkers of impaired placentation, are altered in pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorder and, to a lesser extent, in non-hypertensive pregnancies delivering a SGA or FGR neonate. The associations between the biomarkers and birth-weight Z-score suggest the presence of a continuous physiological relationship between fetal size and peripheral vascular resistance and placentation, rather than a dichotomous relationship of high peripheral resistance and impaired placentation in small compared to non-small fetuses. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Genomic variation associated with cardiovascular disease progression following preeclampsia: a systematic review

Background

Women with a history of preeclampsia (PE) have been shown to have up to five times the risk of developing later-life cardiovascular disease (CVD). While PE and CVD are known to share clinical and molecular characteristics, there are limited studies investigating their shared genomics (genetics, epigenetics or transcriptomics) variation over time. Therefore, we sought to systematically review the literature to identify longitudinal studies focused on the genomic progression to CVD following PE.

Methods

A literature search of primary sources through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase via OVID was performed. Studies published from January 1, 1980, to July 28, 2023, that investigated genomics in PE and CVD were eligible for inclusion. Included studies were screened based on Cochrane systematic review guidelines in conjunction with the PRISMA 2020 checklist. Eligible articles were further assessed for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results

A total of 9,231 articles were screened, with 14 studies subjected to quality assessment. Following further evaluation, six studies were included for the final review. All six of these studies were heterogeneous in regard to CVD/risk factor as outcome, gene mapping approach, and in different targeted genes. The associated genes were RGS2, LPA, and AQP3, alongside microRNAs miR-122-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-206. Additionally, 12 differentially methylated regions potentially linked to later-life CVD following PE were identified. The only common variable across all six studies was the use of a case-control study design.

Conclusions

Our results provide critical insight into the heterogeneous nature of genomic studies investigating CVD following PE and highlight the urgent need for longitudinal studies to further investigate the genetic variation underlying the progression to CVD following PE.

Preterm Preeclampsia Risk Modelling: Examining Hemodynamic, Biochemical, and Biophysical Markers Prior to Pregnancy

Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal death globally and can lead to unplanned preterm birth. Predicting risk for preterm or early-onset PE, has been investigated primarily after conception, and particularly in the early and mid-gestational periods. However, there is a distinct clinical advantage in identifying individuals at risk for PE prior to conception, when a wider array of preventive interventions are available. In this work, we leverage machine learning techniques to identify potential pre-pregnancy biomarkers of PE in a sample of 80 women, 10 of whom were diagnosed with preterm preeclampsia during their subsequent pregnancy. We explore prospective biomarkers derived from hemodynamic, biophysical, and biochemical measurements and several modeling approaches. A support vector machine (SVM) optimized with stochastic gradient descent yields the highest overall performance with ROC AUC and detection rates up to .88 and .70, respectively on subject-wise cross validation. The best performing models leverage biophysical and hemodynamic biomarkers. While preliminary, these results indicate the promise of a machine learning based approach for detecting individuals who are at risk for developing preterm PE before they become pregnant. These efforts may inform gestational planning and care, reducing risk for adverse PE-related outcomes.Clinical Relevance- This work considers the development and optimization of pre-pregnancy biomarkers for improving the identification of preterm (early-onset) preeclampsia risk prior to conception.

Preterm Preeclampsia Risk Modelling: Examining Hemodynamic, Biochemical, and Biophysical Markers Prior to Pregnancy

Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal death globally and can lead to unplanned preterm birth. Predicting risk for preterm or early-onset PE, has been investigated primarily after conception, and particularly in the early and mid-gestational periods. However, there is a distinct clinical advantage in identifying individuals at risk for PE prior to conception, when a wider array of preventive interventions are available. In this work, we leverage machine learning techniques to identify potential pre-pregnancy biomarkers of PE in a sample of 80 women, 10 of whom were diagnosed with preterm preeclampsia during their subsequent pregnancy. We explore biomarkers derived from hemodynamic, biophysical, and biochemical measurements and several modeling approaches. A support vector machine (SVM) optimized with stochastic gradient descent yields the highest overall performance with ROC AUC and detection rates up to .88 and .70, respectively on subject-wise cross validation. The best performing models leverage biophysical and hemodynamic biomarkers. While preliminary, these results indicate the promise of a machine learning based approach for detecting individuals who are at risk for developing preterm PE before they become pregnant. These efforts may inform gestational planning and care, reducing risk for adverse PE-related outcomes.

Perturbation of placental protein glycosylation by endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes maladaptation of maternal hepatic glucose metabolism

Placental hormones orchestrate maternal metabolic adaptations to support pregnancy. We hypothesized that placental ER stress, which characterizes early-onset pre-eclampsia (ePE), compromises glycosylation, reducing hormone bioactivity and these maladaptations predispose the mother to metabolic disease in later life. We demonstrate ER stress reduces the complexity and sialylation of trophoblast protein N-glycosylation, while aberrant glycosylation of vascular endothelial growth factor reduced its bioactivity. ER stress alters the expression of 66 of the 146 genes annotated with "protein glycosylation" and reduces the expression of sialyltransferases. Using mouse placental explants, we show ER stress promotes the secretion of mis-glycosylated glycoproteins. Pregnant mice carrying placentas with junctional zone-specific ER stress have reduced blood glucose, anomalous hepatic glucose metabolism, increased cellular stress and elevated DNA methyltransferase 3A. Using pregnancy-specific glycoproteins as a readout, we also demonstrate aberrant glycosylation of placental proteins in women with ePE, thus providing a mechanistic link between ePE and subsequent maternal metabolic disorders.

Ophthalmic artery Doppler at 19-23 weeks' gestation in pregnancies that deliver small-for-gestational-age neonates

OBJECTIVES

First, to explore hemodynamic differences between pregnancies delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonate in the absence of hypertensive disorders and those that develop pre-eclampsia (PE) or gestational hypertension (GH), by comparing the ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio and first (PSV1) and second (PSV2) PSV at 19-23 weeks' gestation, and second, to compare these pregnancies for markers of placental perfusion and function.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study in women attending for a routine hospital visit at 19 + 1 to 23 + 3 weeks' gestation. This visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, ultrasound examination for assessment of fetal anatomy and growth, and measurement of maternal ophthalmic artery PSV ratio, PSV1, PSV2, mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) and serum placental growth factor (PlGF). The values of PSV ratio, PSV1, PSV2, MAP, UtA-PI and PlGF were converted to multiples of the median (MoM) or deltas. Mean MoMs or deltas of these biomarkers in the SGA, PE and GH groups were compared with those in the unaffected group. The definition of SGA was birth weight below the 10^th percentile in the absence of PE or GH.

RESULTS

The study population of 5214 pregnancies contained 4375 (83.9%) that were unaffected by SGA, PE or GH, 563 (10.8%) complicated by SGA, 157 (3.0%) with PE and 119 (2.3%) with GH. There were three main findings of the study. First, in the SGA, PE and GH groups, compared with unaffected pregnancies, the PSV ratio delta, PSV2 MoM, MAP MoM and UtA-PI MoM were increased and PlGF MoM was decreased; however, the magnitude of most changes was smaller in the SGA group than in PE and GH groups. Second, in the PE and GH groups, but not in the SGA group, PSV1 MoM was increased. Third, in general, in the pathological pregnancies, the magnitude of deviation of biomarkers from unaffected pregnancies was greater for those delivering at < 37 than at ≥ 37 weeks' gestation.

CONCLUSION

In mid-gestation, pregnancies that subsequently develop hypertensive disorders and those delivering a SGA neonate, compared with unaffected pregnancies, have abnormal uteroplacental measurements and increased maternal ophthalmic artery PSV ratio. These data suggest similar pathophysiology in the two conditions, with evidence of placental dysfunction and increased peripheral vascular resistance, but the magnitude of abnormalities is greater in hypertensive disorders. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Increased carotid artery stiffness after preeclampsia in a cross-sectional study of postpartum women

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive obstetrical complication associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Carotid artery functional assessments allow for identification of subclinical vascular dysfunction. This cross‐sectional study measured carotid artery functional indices in healthy women with a recent pregnancy complicated by PE, versus women with a prior uncomplicated pregnancy. Women with a history of PE (N = 30) or an uncomplicated pregnancy (N = 30), were recruited between 6 months and 5 years postpartum. Left and right carotid artery ultrasound measured carotid intima media thickness, plaque burden, peak systolic velocity, end diastolic flow velocity and carotid far‐wall circumferential strain (FWCS). Carotid FWCS is inversely related to vessel stiffness, where a decrease in FWCS indicates increased vessel stiffness. Right‐side FWCS did not differ between women with a history of PE versus normotensive pregnancy. Left carotid artery FWCS was lower in formerly preeclamptic women after adjustment for diameter, pulse pressure, and heart rate compared to women following an uncomplicated pregnancy (3.35 ± 1.08 × 10⁻³ vs. 4.46 ± 1.40 × 10⁻³; p = 0.003). Those with prior severe PE had the greatest decrease in FWCS adjusted to diameter, pulse pressure, and heart rate compared to healthy controls (p = 0.02). Adjusted FWCS and total serum cholesterol were independent indicators of PE history when present in a logistic regression model with confounding variables including age, body mass index, and resting blood pressure. Further investigation is needed to elucidate if FWCS can be used as a risk stratification tool for future cardiovascular disease following a pregnancy complicated by PE. A history of PE is associated with decreased left FWCS (increased left carotid artery stiffness).

Ophthalmic artery Doppler at 35-37 weeks' gestation in pregnancies with small or growth-restricted fetuses

OBJECTIVES

First, to compare the ophthalmic artery peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio at 35-37 weeks' gestation among women who delivered small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or growth-restricted (FGR) neonates in the absence of hypertensive disorders, women who developed pre-eclampsia (PE) or gestational hypertension (GH) and those without SGA, FGR, PE or GH. Second, to examine the association of PSV ratio with placental growth factor (PlGF) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Third, to assess the associations of PSV ratio, PlGF and MAP with birth-weight Z-score and percentile.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study in women attending for a routine hospital visit at 35 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks' gestation. This visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, ultrasound examination of fetal anatomy and growth, and measurement of maternal ophthalmic artery PSV ratio, first (PSV1) and second (PSV2) peaks of systolic velocity, MAP and serum PlGF. The values of PSV ratio, MAP and PlGF were converted to multiples of the median (MoM) or delta values, and the median MoM or delta of these variables in the SGA, FGR, PE and GH groups were compared with those in the unaffected group. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship of PSV ratio delta, PlGF MoM and MAP MoM with birth-weight Z-score after exclusion of PE and GH cases. Regression analysis was also used to examine the association of PSV ratio delta with log₁₀ PlGF MoM and log₁₀ MAP MoM.

RESULTS

The study population included 2287 pregnancies, of which 1954 (85.4%) were not affected by FGR, SGA, PE or GH, 49 (2.1%) were complicated by FGR in the absence of PE or GH, 160 (7.0%) had SGA in the absence of FGR, PE or GH, 60 (2.6%) had PE and 64 (2.8%) had GH. Compared with unaffected pregnancies, in both the FGR and SGA groups, the means of PSV ratio delta (0.042 (95% CI, 0.007-0.076) and 0.032 (95% CI, 0.016-0.049), respectively) and MAP MoM (1.028 (95% CI, 1.006-1.050) and 1.048 (95% CI, 1.035-1.060), respectively) were increased, while the mean of PlGF MoM was decreased (0.495 (95% CI, 0.393-0.622) and 0.648 (95% CI, 0.562-0.747), respectively). However, the magnitude of these changes was smaller than in the PE and GH groups. Ophthalmic artery waveform analysis revealed that the predominant feature of pregnancies complicated by SGA in the absence of hypertensive disorders was a reduction in PSV1, whereas, in those with hypertensive disorders, there was an increase in PSV2. In non-hypertensive pregnancies, there were linear inverse associations of PSV ratio delta and MAP MoM with birth-weight Z-score, with increased values in small neonates and decreased values in large neonates. There was a quadratic relationship between PlGF MoM and birth-weight Z-score, with low PlGF levels in small neonates and high PlGF levels in large neonates. There was a significant correlation of ophthalmic artery PSV ratio delta with both log₁₀ MAP MoM (0.124 (95% CI, 0.069-0.178)) and log₁₀ PlGF MoM (-0.238 (95% CI, -0.289 to -0.185)).

CONCLUSION

Assuming that the ophthalmic artery PSV ratio is a reflection of the interplay between cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance, the linear association between PSV ratio and birth-weight Z-score in non-hypertensive pregnancies suggests the presence of a continuous physiological relationship between fetal size and cardiovascular response rather than a dichotomous relationship between high peripheral resistance and low cardiac output in small compared with non-small fetuses. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Platelets in Fetal Growth Restriction: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxygen Metabolism, and Aggregation

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is mainly caused by failure of the uteroplacental unit. The exact pathogenesis remains unclear. The cause is thought to be related to abnormal platelet activation, which may result in microthrombus formation in the small vessels of the placenta. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may initiate the pathological process of platelet activation. This study aimed to evaluate selected platelet parameters in pregnancy complicated by FGR and relate them to the severity of hemodynamic abnormalities. A total of 135 women (pregnant with FGR, with an uncomplicated pregnancy, and non-pregnant) were enrolled to study different platelet parameters: count (PLT), mean volume (MPV), ROS levels, intracellular oxygen level, oxygen consumption, and aggregation indices. No abnormalities in PLT and MPV were found in the FGR group, although it revealed increased ROS levels in platelets, lower platelet oxygen consumption, and intraplatelet deprivation. Aggregation parameters were similar as in uncomplicated pregnancy. No significant relationships were observed between hemodynamic abnormalities and the studied parameters. Platelets in pregnancies complicated by FGR may reveal an impaired oxidative metabolism, which may, in turn, lead to oxidative stress and, consequently, to an impaired platelet function. This study adds to the understanding of the role of platelets in the etiology of FGR.

Use of Race, Ethnicity, and National Origin in Studies Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Women With a History of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Women with a history of hyperBtensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are at particularly high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-related death, and certain racial and ethnic subpopulations are disproportionately affected by these conditions. We examined the use of race, ethnicity, and national origin in observational studies assessing CVD morbidity and mortality in women with a history of HDP. A total of 124 studies, published between 1976 and 2021, were reviewed. We found that white women were heavily overrepresented, encompassing 53% of all participants with HDP. There was limited and heterogeneous reporting of race and ethnicity information across studies and only 27 studies reported including race and/or ethnicity variables in at least 1 statistical analysis. Only 2 studies mentioned the use of these variables as a strength; several others (k = 18) reported a lack of diversity among participants as a study limitation. Just over half of included articles (k = 68) reported at least 1 sociodemographic variable other than race and ethnicity (eg, marital status and income); however, none investigated how they might have worked synergistically or antagonistically with race and/or ethnicity to influence participants' risk of CVD. These findings highlight significant areas for improvement in cardiovascular obstetrics research, including the need for more robust and standardized methods for collecting, reporting, and using sociodemographic information. Future studies of CVD risk in women with a history of HDP should explicitly examine racial and ethnic differences and use an intersectional approach.

Cardiometabolic Profiles in Women with a History of Hypertensive and Normotensive Fetal Growth Restriction

Background: The majority of evidence on associations between pregnancy complications and future maternal disease focuses on hypertensive (Ht) complications. We hypothesize that impaired cardiometabolic health after pregnancies complicated by severe fetal growth restriction (FGR) is independent of the co-occurrence of hypertension. Materials and Methods: In a prospective cohort of women with a pregnancy complicated by early FGR (delivery <34 weeks gestation), with or without concomitant hypertension, cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed after delivery. A population-based reference cohort was used for comparison, and analyses were adjusted for age, current body mass index (BMI), smoking habits, and hormonal contraceptive use. Results: Median time from delivery to assessment was 4 months in both the Ht (N = 115) and normotensive (Nt) (N = 42) FGR groups. Compared with the reference group (N = 380), in both FGR groups lipid profile and glucose homeostasis at assessment were unfavorable. Women with Ht-FGR had the least favorable cardiometabolic profile, with higher prevalence ratios (PRs) for diastolic blood pressure >85 mmHg (PR 4.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-6.7), fasting glucose levels >5.6 mmol/L (PR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4-5.6), and total cholesterol levels >6.21 mmol/L (PR 4.5, 95% CI 1.9-8.8), compared with the reference group. Women with Nt-FGR more often had a BMI >30 kg/m² (PR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-4.7) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels <1.29 mmol/L (PR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-3.5), compared with the reference group. Conclusions: Women with a history of FGR showed unfavorable short-term cardiometabolic profiles in comparison with a reference group, independent of the co-occurrence of hypertension. Therefore, women with a history of FGR may benefit from cardiovascular risk factor assessment and subsequent risk reduction strategies.

Characterisation of cardiac health in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure model and a 3D cardiac spheroid model, of preeclampsia

Background

Preeclampsia is a dangerous cardiovascular disorder of pregnancy that leads to an increased risk of future cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Much of the pathogenesis and mechanisms involved in cardiac health in preeclampsia are unknown. A novel anti-angiogenic protein, FKBPL, is emerging as having a potential role in both preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, in this study we aimed to characterise cardiac health and FKBPL regulation in the rat reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) and a 3D cardiac spheroid model of preeclampsia.

Methods

The RUPP model was induced in pregnant rats and histological analysis performed on the heart, kidney, liver and placenta (n ≥ 6). Picrosirius red staining was performed to quantify collagen I and III deposition in rat hearts, placentae and livers as an indicator of fibrosis. RT-qPCR was used to determine changes in Fkbpl, Icam1, Vcam1, Flt1 and Vegfa mRNA in hearts and/or placentae and ELISA to evaluate cardiac brain natriuretic peptide (BNP45) and FKBPL secretion. Immunofluorescent staining was also conducted to analyse the expression of cardiac FKBPL. Cardiac spheroids were generated using human cardiac fibroblasts and human coronary artery endothelial cells and treated with patient plasma from normotensive controls, early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE) and late-onset preeclampsia (LOPE); n = 3. FKBPL and CD31 expression was quantified by immunofluorescent labelling.

Results

The RUPP procedure induced significant increases in blood pressure (p < 0.001), collagen deposition (p < 0.001) and cardiac BNP45 (p < 0.05). It also induced a significant increase in cardiac FKBPL mRNA (p < 0.05) and protein  expression  (p < 0.01). RUPP placentae also exhibited increased collagen deposition and decreased Flt1 mRNA expression (p < 0.05). RUPP kidneys revealed an increase in average glomerular size (p < 0.05). Cardiac spheroids showed a significant increase in FKBPL expression when treated with LOPE plasma (p < 0.05) and a trend towards increased FKBPL expression following treatment with EOPE plasma (p = 0.06).

Conclusions

The rat RUPP model induced cardiac, renal and placental features reflective of preeclampsia. FKBPL was increased in the hearts of RUPP rats and cardiac spheroids treated with plasma from women with preeclampsia, perhaps reflective of restricted angiogenesis and inflammation in this disorder. Elucidation of these novel FKBPL mechanisms in cardiac health in preeclampsia could be key in preventing future CVD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13293-021-00376-1.

Incidence of postpartum hypertension within 2 years of a pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are at increased long-term risk of cardiovascular disease. However, there has been increasing evidence on the same risks in the months following birth.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to estimate the incidence of hypertension in the first 2 years after HDP.

SEARCH STRATEGY

MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases were systematically searched in October 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Observational studies comparing hypertension rate following HDP and normotensive pregnancies up to 2 years.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

A meta-analysis to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a sub-group analysis excluding women with chronic hypertension were performed.

MAIN RESULTS

Hypertension was diagnosed within the first 2 years following pregnancy in 468/1646 (28.4%) and 584/6395 (9.1%) of the HDP and control groups, respectively (OR 6.28; 95% CI 4.18-9.43; I²  = 56%). The risk of hypertension in HDP group was significantly higher in the first 6 months following delivery (OR 18.33; 95% CI 1.35-249.48; I²  = 84%) than at 6-12 months (OR 4.36; 95% CI 2.81-6.76; I²  = 56%) or between 1-2 years postpartum (OR 7.24; 95% CI 4.44-11.80; I²  = 9%). A sub-group analysis demonstrated a similar increase in the risk of developing postpartum hypertension after HDP (OR 5.75; 95% CI 3.92-8.44; I²  = 49%) and pre-eclampsia (OR 6.83; 95% CI 4.25-10.96; I²  = 53%).

CONCLUSIONS

The augmented risk of hypertension after HDP is highest in the early postpartum period, suggesting that diagnosis and targeted interventions to improve maternal cardiovascular health may need to be commenced in the immediate postpartum period.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

The risk of hypertension within 2 years of birth is six-fold higher in women who experienced pre-eclampsia.

Low Plasma Volume and Increased Pressure Load Relate to Concentric Left Ventricular Remodeling After Preeclampsia: A Longitudinal Study

Background During uncomplicated pregnancy, left ventricular remodeling occurs in an eccentric way. In contrast, during preeclamptic gestation, the left ventricle hypertrophies concentrically, concurrent with loss in circulatory volume and increased blood pressure. Concentric cardiac structure persists in a substantial proportion of women and may be associated with pressure and volume load after preeclampsia. We hypothesize that low volume load, as indicated by plasma volume (PV) after preeclampsia and increased pressure load, is associated with remote concentric remodeling. Methods and Results In this longitudinal cohort study, we included 100 formerly preeclamptic women. Two visits were performed: at 0.8 years postpartum and at 4.8 years postpartum. During visit 1, we measured blood pressure and PV (I125 dilution technique, low PV ≤48 mL/kg lean body mass). During the second visit, we assessed cardiac geometry by cardiac ultrasound. Concentric remodeling was defined as relative wall thickness >0.42 and left ventricular mass index ≤95 g/m2. We adjusted multivariable analysis for primiparity, systolic blood pressure, PV mL/kg lean body mass, and antihypertensive medication at visit 1. Low PV is associated with remote concentric remodeling (odds ratio [OR], 4.37; 95% CI, 1.06-17.40; and adjusted OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.02-21.42). Arterial pressure load (systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure) is also associated with development of concentric remodeling (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 0.99-1.35]; OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 0.98-1.58]; and OR, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.98-1.47], respectively). Conclusions In former preeclamptic women, development toward left ventricular concentric remodeling is associated with low volume load and increased pressure load.

Current update of first trimester preeclampsia screening in Asia

In consideration of high prevalence of preeclampsia, enormous studies attempted to look for strategies in early gestation. Hence, a powerful screening should be built up in first trimester. Then, Aspirin could be administrated for proper prevention. The objective of this article is reviewing the screening for preeclampsia in first trimester recently. To identify the high-risk group precisely, an effective model should be recommended to Asian population. Articles related to first trimester screening of PE in Asia from databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus were searched for this narrative review. The criteria included randomized clinical trials, observational prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies, systematic review and meta-analysis and professional review articles. Screening models combining maternal factors, biophysical factors, ultrasound studies and biochemical factors achieved high predictive performance of preeclampsia. In Asia, the detection rate of the Fetal Medicine Foundation is superior to those of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Consequently, this effective model from the Fetal Medicine Foundation should be continuously used for screening in first trimester for the Asian.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease-Related Morbidity and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Several studies have demonstrated that there is a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). However, effect sizes varied greatly between these studies, and a complete overview of the existing data in the literature is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the association between HDP and the risk of CVD-related morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

Systematic literature searches were conducted in several electronic databases from inception to July 2019. Exposure of interest was any type of HDP. Outcomes of interest included any CVD, CVD-related mortality, and hypertension.

RESULTS

Sixty-six cohort and 7 case-control studies involving >13 million women were included. The overall combined relative risks (RRs) for women with a history of HDP compared with the reference group were 1.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67-1.94) for any CVD, 1.66 (1.49-1.84) for coronary artery heart disease, 2.87 (2.14-3.85) for heart failure, 1.60 (1.29-2.00) for peripheral vascular disease, 1.72 (1.50-1.97) for stroke, 1.78 (1.58-2.00) for CVD-related mortality, and 3.16 (2.74-3.64) for hypertension. Significant heterogeneity was partially explained by all or part of the variables including type of exposure, follow-up time, geographic region, and sample source.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with a history of HDP are at an increased risk of future CVD-related morbidity and mortality. Our study highlights the importance of life-long monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors in women with a history of HDP.

Summary of Updated Recommendations for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women in the United States and worldwide. There has been no American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association guideline update specifically for the prevention of CVD in women since 2011. Since then, the body of sex-specific data has grown, in addition to updated hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and primary prevention guidelines. The ACC CVD in Women Committee undertook a review of the recent guidelines and major studies to summarize recommendations pertinent to women. In this update, the authors address special topics, particularly the risk factors and treatments that have led to some controversies and confusion. Specifically, sex-related risk factors, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, use of aspirin, perimenopausal hormone therapy, and psychosocial issues are highlighted.

A bibliometric analysis of Intrauterine Growth Restriction research

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is not a new subject in pregnancy. Nevertheless, this concept has newly begun to be integrated into pregnancy studies. We recognized articles that were published in English from 1977 to 2019 through electronic searches of the Web of Science™ database. The WoS database was searched for all published articles that compared preeclampsia from 1977 to January 2020. About 1469 documents in obstetrics and gynecology areas were analyzed in WoS database. VOSviewer software was employed to visualize the networks. The survey resulted in a 1469 published documents from 1977 to 2020. 'Gratacos' from Spain and 'Cetin' from Italy contributed the most publications. The greatest contribution came from the 'USA' (n = 498), 'Italy' (n = 155), and 'England' (n = 147). Furthermore, our results found that among these journals, the 'AJOG' (n = 318) and the 'Reproductive Sciences' (n = 209) published the largest number of papers. The top 100 most cited papers showed that 30% were reported in the 'AJOG'. About half the articles were published in the last decade and the most common studies were research paper (77%). The co-occurrence and co-citation analysis showed that the study formed four clusters. Finally, the strategic map was designed. We found that there existed an increasing trend in the large amount of publication on IUGR from 1977 to 2020. The number of studies in IUGR has substantially improved in the last decade. Authors from the 'USA' appeared the most proactive in addressing the IUGR area. By studying these articles, we propose important to support not only for grinding the IUGR challenges field but also for designing a new trend in this area.

Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period as an Opportunity for Cardiovascular Risk Identification and Management

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women. Because women generally present with more atypical symptoms of CVD than do men and because underlying CVD risk factors are often present for years before the onset of CVD, it is important to use innovative ways to identify women who should undergo CVD risk screening at a younger age. Pregnancy and the postpartum period afford us that opportunity, given that the development of certain pregnancy complications (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, delivery of a neonate with fetal growth restriction, and significant placental abruption) can reliably identify women with underlying, often unrecognized, CVD risk factors. Women with one or more of these pregnancy complications should be identified at the time of delivery and referred for regular follow-up. This would ideally take the form of a multidisciplinary clinic including clinicians and allied health specialists to carry out physical and biochemical screening and counseling regarding lifestyle modification and possible therapeutic interventions. Longer-term follow-up and recommendations should be individualized based on findings and risks. There is also an opportunity for future pregnancy counseling and discussion about the importance of weight loss between pregnancies, initiation of a routine involving physical activity, use of preconception folic acid, and the potential initiation of low-dose aspirin for those women at risk for future preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction or the use of progesterone for women at risk for preterm labor. The link between pregnancy complications and future CVD affords us with the earliest opportunity for CVD risk assessment for health preservation and disease prevention.

Effects of preeclampsia and eclampsia on maternal metabolic and biochemical outcomes in later life: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between preeclampsia (PE) and eclampsia (E) on subsequent metabolic and biochemical outcomes.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched five engines until November 2018 for studies evaluating the effects of PE/E on metabolic and biochemical outcomes after delivery. PE was defined as presence of hypertension and proteinuria at >20 weeks of pregnancy; controls did not have PE/E. Primary outcomes were blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), metabolic syndrome (MetS), blood lipids and glucose levels. Random effects models were used for meta-analyses, and effects reported as risk difference (RD) or mean difference (MD) and their 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses by time of follow up, publication year, and confounder adjustment were performed.

RESULTS

We evaluated 41 cohorts including 3300 PE/E and 13,967 normotensive controls. Women were followed up from 3 months after delivery up to 32 years postpartum. In comparison to controls, PE/E significantly increased systolic BP (MD = 8.3 mmHg, 95%CI 6.8 to 9.7), diastolic BP (MD = 6.8 mmHg, 95%CI 5.6 to 8.0), BMI (MD = 2.0 kg/m²; 95%CI 1.6 to 2.4), waist (MD = 4.3 cm, 95%CI 3.1 to 5.5), waist-to-hip ratio (MD = 0.02, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.03), weight (MD = 5.1 kg, 95%CI 2.2 to 7.9), total cholesterol (MD = 4.6 mg/dL, CI 1.5 to 7.7), LDL (MD = 4.6 mg/dL; 95%CI 0.2 to 8.9), triglycerides (MD = 7.7 mg/dL, 95%CI 3.6 to 11.7), glucose (MD = 2.6 mg/dL, 95%CI 1.2 to 4.0), insulin (MD = 19.1 pmol/L, 95%CI 11.9 to 26.2), HOMA-IR index (MD = 0.7, 95%CI 0.2 to 1.2), C reactive protein (MD = 0.05 mg/dL, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.09), and the risks of hypertension (RD = 0.24, 95%CI 0.15 to 0.33) and MetS (RD = 0.11, 95%CI 0.08 to 0.15). Also, PE/E reduced HDL levels (MD = -2.15 mg/dL, 95%CI -3.46 to -0.85). Heterogeneity of effects was high for most outcomes. Risk of bias was moderate across studies. Subgroup analyses showed similar effects as main analyses.

CONCLUSION

Women who had PE/E have worse metabolic and biochemical profile than those without PE/E in an intermediate to long term follow up period.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Future Cardiovascular Health

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) occur in almost 10% of gestations. These women are known to have higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality later in life in comparison with parous controls who had normotensive pregnancies. Several studies have demonstrated that women with preeclampsia present in a state of segmental impaired myocardial function, biventricular chamber dysfunction, adverse biventricular remodeling, and hypertrophy, a compromised hemodynamic state and indirect echocardiographic signs of localized myocardial ischemia and fibrosis. These cardiac functional and geometric changes are known to have strong predictive value for cardiovascular disease in non-pregnant subjects. A "dose effect" response seems to regulate this relationship with severe HDP, early-onset HDP, coexistence of fetal growth disorders, and recurrence of HDP resulting in poorer cardiovascular measures. The mechanism underlying the relationship between HDP in younger women and cardiovascular disease later in life is unclear but could be explained by sharing of pre-pregnancy cardiovascular risk factors or due to a direct impact of HDP on the maternal cardiovascular system conferring a state of increased susceptibility to future metabolic or hemodynamic insults. If so, the prevention of HDP itself would become all the more urgent. Shortly after delivery, women who experienced HDP express an increased risk of classic cardiovascular risk factors such as essential hypertension, renal disease, abnormal lipid profile, and diabetes with higher frequency than controls. Within one or two decades after delivery, this group of women are more likely to experience premature cardiovascular events, such as symptomatic heart failure, myocardial ischemia, and cerebral vascular disease. Although there is general agreement that women who suffered from HDP should undertake early screening for cardiovascular risk factors in order to allow for appropriate prevention, the exact timing and modality of screening has not been standardized yet. Our findings suggest that prevention should start as early as possible after delivery by making the women aware of their increased cardiovascular risk and encouraging weight control, stop smoking, healthy diet, and daily exercise which are well-established and cost-effective prevention strategies.

Changes over-time in blood pressure of women with preeclampsia compared to those with normotensive pregnancies: A 15 year population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the incidence of hypertension and the trend of systolic and diastolic blood pressure changes and relating factors influencing women with and without prior preeclampsia (PE).

STUDY DESIGN

This prospective population based study included a total of 3022 eligible women (355 with PE and 2667 non-PE) recruited from participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) who were assessed for progression to subsequent hypertension over 15-year follow up. Pooled logistic regression model was utilized to estimate odds ratio (OR) of hypertension. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to evaluate the trend of changes in hypertension parameters over time.

RESULTS

At the end of follow-ups, 109 women (30.7%) in the PE group and 575 (21.5%) in the non-PE group had hypertension. The total cumulative incident rate of hypertension was 34/1000 person-years for PE groups and 22/1000 person years for non-PE groups (P < 0.001). Pooled logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-PE women, OR of hypertension progression in women with PE was 3.70 after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), parity, triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) (P-value < 0.001). Based on GEE analysis, mean changes of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in PE women increased by 4.66 and 2.55 mmHg, respectively, compared to the non-PE group, after adjustment for age, and BMI at baseline (P < 0.001), although the interaction term (follow-up year × PE) was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated increased chances of developing hypertension among women with prior PE, particularly in those who develop additional risk factors in their later life, compared to the non-PE women. While the trajectory of blood pressure change over time is similar between women with and without preeclampsia, women with a history of preeclampsia consistently have higher levels of blood pressure.

Maternal Cardiovascular Risk Assessment 3-to-11 Years Postpartum in Relation to Previous Occurrence of Pregnancy-Related Complications

The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term outcomes of women 3-to-11 years postpartum in relation to the previous occurrence of pregnancy-related complications such as gestational hypertension (GH), preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference values, the average values of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures and heart rate, total serum cholesterol levels, serum HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, serum LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, serum triglycerides levels, serum lipoprotein A levels, serum CRP (C-reactive protein) levels, plasma homocysteine levels, serum uric acid levels, individual and relative risks of having a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years were compared between groups (50 GH, 102 PE, 34 FGR and 90 normal pregnancies) and correlated with the severity of the disease with regard to clinical signs (25 PE without severe features, 77 PE with severe features), and delivery date (36 early PE, 66 late PE). The adjustment for potential covariates was made, where appropriate. At 3–11 years follow-up women with a history of GH, PE regardless of the severity of the disease and the delivery date, PE without severe features, PE with severe features, early PE, and late PE had higher BMI, waist circumferences, SBP, DBP, and predicted 10-year cardiovascular event risk when compared with women with a history of normotensive term pregnancy. In addition, increased serum levels of uric acid were found in patients previously affected with GH, PE regardless of the severity of the disease and the delivery date, PE with severe features, early PE, and late PE. Higher serum levels of lipoprotein A were found in patients previously affected with early PE. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were able to identify a substantial proportion of women previously affected with GH or PE with a predisposition to later onset of cardiovascular diseases. Women with a history of GH and PE represent a risky group of patients that may benefit from implementation of early primary prevention strategies.

Pregnancy complications and premature cardiovascular events among 1.6 million California pregnancies

Background

Cardiovascular complications of pregnancy present an opportunity to assess risk for subsequent cardiovascular disease. We sought to determine whether peripartum cardiomyopathy and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy subtypes predict future myocardial infarction, heart failure or stroke independent of one another and of other risks such as gestational diabetes, preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction.

Methods and results

The California Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database was used to identify all hospitalised pregnancies from 2005 to 2009, with follow-up through 2011, for a retrospective cohort study. Pregnancies, exposures, covariates and outcomes were defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Among 1.6 million pregnancies (mean age 28 years; median follow-up time to event excluding censoring 2.7 years), 558 cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy, 123 603 hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, 107 636 cases of gestational diabetes, 116 768 preterm births and 23 504 cases of intrauterine growth restriction were observed. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, peripartum cardiomyopathy was independently associated with a 39.2-fold increase in heart failure (95% CI 30.0 to 51.9), resulting in ~1 additional hospitalisation per 1000 person-years. There was a 13.0-fold increase in myocardial infarction (95% CI 4.1 to 40.9) and a 7.7-fold increase in stroke (95% CI 2.4 to 24.0). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were associated with 1.4-fold (95% CI 1.0 to 2.0) to 7.6-fold (95% CI 5.4 to 10.7) higher risk of myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke, resulting in a maximum of ~1 additional event per 1000 person-years. Gestational diabetes, preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction had more modest associations.

Conclusion

These findings support close monitoring of women with cardiovascular pregnancy complications for prevention of early cardiovascular events and study of mechanisms underlying their development.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Maternal Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Development: An Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) as those who are normotensive during pregnancy. However, the emergence of CVD risk factors after HDP is less well-understood.

OBJECTIVE

To identify associations between HDP and maternal CVD risk factors and chart the trajectory of risk factor development after pregnancy.

DESIGN

Observational cohort study.

SETTING

United States.

PARTICIPANTS

58 671 parous NHS II (Nurses' Health Study II) participants who did not have CVD or risk factors of interest at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS

Women were followed for self-reported physician diagnosis of chronic hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and confirmed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from their first birth through 2013; mean follow-up ranged from 25 to 32 years across these end points. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs, with adjustment for prepregnancy confounders.

RESULTS

Compared with women who were normotensive during pregnancy, those with gestational hypertension (2.9%) or preeclampsia (6.3%) in their first pregnancy had increased rates of chronic hypertension (HRs, 2.8 [95% CI, 2.6 to 3.0] and 2.2 [CI, 2.1 to 2.3], respectively), T2DM (HRs, 1.7 [CI, 1.4 to 1.9] and 1.8 [CI, 1.6 to 1.9], respectively), and hypercholesterolemia (HRs, 1.4 [CI, 1.3 to 1.5] and 1.3 [CI, 1.3 to 1.4], respectively). Although these women were more likely to develop CVD risk factors throughout follow-up, the relative risk for chronic hypertension was strongest within 5 years after their first birth. Recurrence of HDP further elevated risks for all end points.

LIMITATION

Participants self-reported HDP.

CONCLUSION

Women with HDP in their first pregnancy had increased rates of chronic hypertension, T2DM, and hypercholesterolemia that persisted for several decades. These women may benefit from lifestyle intervention and early screening to reduce lifetime risk for CVD.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

National Institutes of Health.

Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Adult Metabolic Syndrome With Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Pig Models

Epidemiological data have indicated that intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a risk factor for the adult metabolic syndrome in pigs. However, the causative genetic mechanism leading to the phenotype in adulthood has not been well characterized. In the present study, both normal and IUGR adult pigs were used as models to survey the differences in global gene expression in livers through transcriptome sequencing. The transcriptome libraries generated 104.54 gb of data. In normal and IUGR pigs, 16,948 and 17,078 genes were expressed, respectively. A total of 1,322 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed that the top overrepresented gene ontology (GO) terms and pathways were related to oxidoreductase activity, ATPase activity, amino catabolic process, glucose metabolism, and insulin signaling pathway. The increased gluconeogenesis (GNG) and decreased glycogen synthesis in the liver contributed to the glucose intolerance observed in IUGR. The reduced expression of insulin signaling genes (such as PI3K and AKT) indicated an elevated risk of diabetes in adulthood. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of adult IUGR pigs and valuable information for future studies of therapeutic intervention in IUGR metabolic syndrome.

Risk of preeclampsia in pregnancies resulting from double gamete donation and from oocyte donation alone

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancies after gamete donation are at higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia (PE) than those achieved by IVF with patient's own gametes. We aim to assess whether pregnancies achieved with both oocyte and sperm donation (double donation, DD) are at an increased risk of developing PE and gestational hypertension (GH) compared to those achieved by oocyte donation alone (OD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of 433 patients who reached the 20th week of gestation with either DD (n = 81) or OD (n = 352) between March 2013 and April 2016 at a fertility clinic. The risk of preterm PE, term PE, and gestational hypertension (GH) are presented as unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

DD have a higher risk of preterm PE than OD, with an OR of 3.02 (95%CI 1.11-8.24; p = 0.031). We found no difference in the risk of term PE (OR 0.26, 95%CI 0.03-1.98; p = 0.19) or of GH (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.63-2.43; p = 0.55).

DISCUSSION

Pregnancies with DD are at higher risk of developing preterm PE than OD alone. Patients, and physicians treating them, should be made aware of the elevated risk of PE in these gestations, in order to start prophylactic measures during the first weeks of pregnancy.

Epidemiological analysis of maternal lipid levels during the second trimester in pregnancy and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome adjusted by pregnancy BMI

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy is accompanied by profound changes in lipid metabolism. We aimed to assess whether effects of second trimester body mass index and maternal lipid concentrations are associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

METHODS

We investigated the serum levels of maternal lipids during the second trimester in pregnancy, and analyzed associations between the lipid levels and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. Seven hundred and seventy-four pregnant women were enrolled in this study between February 2016 and June 2016. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the relative risk between maternal lipids and adverse pregnancy outcome.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, during the second trimester of pregnancy, BMI, TG, and Lp(a) were risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus; middle trimester pregnancy BMI, Lp(a), and APO-B were risk factors for pre-eclampsia; second trimester BMI and TG/HDL-C were risk factors for macrosomia; age and Lp(a) were uterine atony postpartum hemorrhage risk factors, while APO-AI was a protective factor of uterine inertia and postpartum hemorrhage; second trimester BMI, TCH, Lp(a), and TG/HDL-C were risk factors for fetal distress, while parity was a protective factor against fetal distress.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal blood lipid levels in pregnancy are significantly associated with GDM, pre-eclampsia, and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Risk of pre-eclampsia in women taking metformin: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To perform meta-analyses of studies evaluating the risk of pre-eclampsia in high-risk insulin-resistant women taking metformin prior to, or during pregnancy.

METHODS

A search was conducted of the Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Both randomized controlled trials and prospective observational cohort studies of metformin treatment vs. placebo/control or insulin either prior to or during pregnancy were selected. The main outcome measure was the incidence of pre-eclampsia in each treatment group.

RESULTS

Overall, in five randomized controlled trials comparing metformin treatment (n = 611) with placebo/control (n = 609), no difference in the risk of pre-eclampsia was found [combined/pooled risk ratio (RR), 0.86 (95% CI 0.33-2.26); P = 0.76; I²  = 66%]. Meta-analysis of four cohort studies again showed no significant effect [RR, 1.21 (95% CI 0.56-2.61); P = 0.62; I²  = 30%]. A meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials comparing metformin (n = 838) with insulin (n = 836), however, showed a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia with metformin [RR, 0.68 (95% CI 0.48-0.95); P = 0.02; I²  = 0%]. No heterogeneity was present in the metformin vs. insulin analysis of randomized controlled trials, whereas high levels of heterogeneity were present in studies comparing metformin with placebo/control. Pre-eclampsia was a secondary outcome in most of the studies. The mean weight gain from time of enrolment to delivery was lower in the metformin group (P = 0.05, metformin vs. placebo; P = 0.004, metformin vs. insulin).

CONCLUSIONS

In studies randomizing pregnant women to glucose-lowering therapy, metformin was associated with lower gestational weight gain and a lower risk of pre-eclampsia compared with insulin.

Epigenetics and Preeclampsia: Programming of Future Outcomes

Pregnancy is known to induce rapid, progressive, and substantial changes to the cardiovascular system, ultimately facilitating successful pregnancy outcomes. Women who develop hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are considered to have "failed" the cardiovascular stress test of pregnancy and likely represent a subpopulation with inadequate cardiovascular accommodation. Preeclampsia is a serious complication with a myriad of manifestations in both mother and offspring. This pregnancy syndrome is a polygenic disease and has now been linked to a greater incidence of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, offsprings born to preeclamptic mothers exhibit an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and mental disorders during adulthood. This suggests that preeclampsia not only exposes the mother and the fetus to complications during pregnancy but also programs chronic diseases during adulthood in the offspring. The etiology of preeclampsia remains unknown, with various theories being suggested to explain its origin. It is primarily thought to be associated with poor placentation and entails excessive maternal inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. It is well established now that the maternal immune system and the placenta are involved in a highly choreographed cross talk that underlies adequate spiral artery remodeling required for uteroplacental perfusion and free flow of nutrients to the fetus. Although it is not clear whether immunological alterations occur early during pregnancy, studies have proposed that dysregulated systemic and placental immunity contribute to impaired angiogenesis and the onset of preeclampsia. Recently emerged strong evidence suggests a potential link among epigenetics, microRNAs (miRNAs), and pregnancy complications. This chapter will focus on important aspects of epigenetics, immunological aspects, and cardiovascular and vascular remodeling of preeclampsia.

Maternal endothelial function and vascular stiffness after HELLP syndrome: a case-control study

OBJECTIVES

To assess endothelial function and arterial stiffness in women with a previous pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia (PE) with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome, and to compare these findings to those in women with previous PE but no HELLP and to those in controls with previous uncomplicated pregnancy, in order to investigate the influence of HELLP syndrome on subsequent cardiovascular impairment.

METHODS

In this prospective single-center case-control study, we performed peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) (using the EndoPAT method) and pulse-wave velocity (PWV) assessment in 109 women who had had a singleton pregnancy complicated by PE with (n = 49) or without (n = 60) HELLP syndrome, as well as in 60 controls with previous uncomplicated pregnancy, between 6 months and 4 years after delivery. The following EndoPAT and PWV indices were compared between groups: reactive hyperemia index (RHI), as an indication of endothelial function, and peripheral and aortic heart-rate-corrected augmentation indices (AIx) standardized for a heart rate of 75 bpm (AIx@75) and carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (cfPWV), as indications of arterial stiffness.

RESULTS

PAT and arterial stiffness indices were significantly different between PE cases, with or without previous HELLP, and controls, except for carotid-femoral PWV. There were no significant differences among PE groups: women who had experienced HELLP and those with a history of PE without HELLP showed similar rates of RHI ≤ 1.67 (28.6% vs 18.3%, P = 0.254) and RHI ≤ 2.00 (61.2% vs 41.7%, P = 0.055), peripheral AIx@75 ≥ 17% (38.8% vs 30.0%, P = 0.417), aortic AIx@75 ≥ 35% (29.2% vs 20.0%, P = 0.461) and cfPWV × 0.8 > 9.6 m/s, which occurred in only three women, all in the group without previous HELLP (0% vs 5.0%, P = 0.251). On multivariate regression analysis, HELLP syndrome, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and early-onset PE independently predicted endothelial dysfunction at 6 months to 4 years postpartum, after correcting for uterine artery pulsatility index, birth-weight percentile, and maternal blood pressure, age and body mass index. Women with both previous HELLP and early-onset IUGR had a significantly higher prevalence of endothelial dysfunction (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Similar vascular abnormalities were found in women previously affected by HELLP syndrome and those with previous PE without HELLP. However, a history of HELLP syndrome, IUGR and early-onset PE seems to identify a subgroup of women with a higher risk for future development of endothelial dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Elucidating the Pathogenesis of Pre-eclampsia Using In Vitro Models of Spiral Uterine Artery Remodelling

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of the study is to perform a critical assessment of in vitro models of pre-eclampsia using complementary human and cell line-based studies. Molecular mechanisms involved in spiral uterine artery (SUA) remodelling and trophoblast functionality will also be discussed.

RECENT FINDINGS

A number of proteins and microRNAs have been implicated as key in SUA remodelling, which could be explored as early biomarkers or therapeutic targets for prevention of pre-eclampsia. Various 2D and 3D in vitro models involving trophoblast cells, endothelial cells, immune cells and placental tissue were discussed to elucidate the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Nevertheless, pre-eclampsia is a multifactorial disease, and the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis are complex and still largely unknown. Further studies are required to provide better understanding of the key processes leading to inappropriate placental development which is the root cause of pre-eclampsia. This new knowledge could identify novel biomarkers and treatment strategies.

Preventing cardiovascular disease after hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Searching for the how and when

Background

Women with a history of a hypertensive disorder during pregnancy (HDP) have an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Guidelines recommend assessment of cardiovascular risk factors in these women later in life, but provide limited advice on how this follow-up should be organized.

Design

Systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

Methods

The aim of our study was to provide an overview of existing knowledge on the changes over time in three major modifiable components of cardiovascular risk assessment after HDP: blood pressure, glucose homeostasis and lipid levels. Data from 44 studies and up to 6904 women with a history of a HDP were compared with risk factor levels reported for women of corresponding age in the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Estudio Epidemiólogico de la Insuficiencia Renal en España and Hong Kong cohorts (N = 27,803).

Results

Compared with the reference cohort, women with a HDP presented with higher mean blood pressure. Hypertension was present in a higher rate among women with a previous HDP from 15 years postpartum onwards. At 15 years postpartum (±age 45), one in five women with a history of a HDP suffer from hypertension. No differences in glucose homeostasis parameters or lipid levels were observed.

Conclusions

Based on our analysis, it is not possible to point out a time point to commence screening for cardiovascular risk factors in women after a HDP. We recommend redirection of future research towards the development of a stepwise approach identifying the women with the highest cardiovascular risk.

Effect of early-onset preeclampsia on cardiovascular risk in the fifth decade of life

BACKGROUND

Women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, in particular early-onset preeclampsia, are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. These women have a more than 2-fold increased risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases. Most studies have focused on identification of risk factors shortly after pregnancy. Less is known on the prevalence of risk factors or actual signs of cardiovascular disease 5-20 years later. The presence of hypertension or metabolic syndrome can be seen as an opportunity for preventive interventions to reduce the development of severe cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To assess cardiovascular risk factors and established cardiovascular disease in women after early-onset preeclampsia, in the fifth decade of life. As a consequence, we can assess whether there is still a window of opportunity for preventive measures and to establish in what proportion of women cardiovascular disease already has developed.

STUDY DESIGN

In a prospective observational study, cardiovascular risk assessment was performed in women with early-onset preeclampsia (<34 weeks' gestation) and normotensive controls (≥37 weeks' gestation) 9-16 years after their index pregnancy. Medical records of 2 tertiary hospitals in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, were screened consecutively, and all eligible women were invited. Cardiovascular risk assessment consisted of a questionnaire, blood pressure measurement, anthropometrics, and blood and urine for fasting lipids, lipoproteins, glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin, renal function, N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide, and albuminuria. History of cardiovascular diseases (ie, myocardial infarction and stroke) was determined. Prevalence of women presenting in an optimal window of opportunity for preventive measures was defined by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (ie, hypertension and metabolic syndrome) but in the absence of established cardiovascular diseases (ie, myocardial infarction and stroke).

RESULTS

Women with a history of early-onset preeclampsia (n = 131) had significantly greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure, greater body mass index, more often had an abnormal lipid profile (lower high-density lipoprotein levels, higher triglycerides), greater glycated hemoglobin, and greater levels of albuminuria compared to controls (n = 56). None of the women with a history of early-onset preeclampsia was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease; 38.2% were diagnosed with hypertension; and 18.2% were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. A total of 42% met the criteria for the window of opportunity for preventive measures. In women with a history of an uncomplicated pregnancy, no women were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease; 14.3% were diagnosed with hypertension; 1.8% with metabolic syndrome. In this cohort, 14.3% met the criteria for the window of opportunity for preventive measures.

CONCLUSION

A large proportion of women who experienced early-onset preeclampsia had major cardiovascular risk factors in the fifth decade of life, compared with healthy controls. These women are currently outside the scope of most preventive programs due to their relatively young age, but have important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Polymorphisms of Platelet Glycoprotein Receptors and Cell Adhesion Molecules in Fetuses with Fetal Growth Restriction and Their Mothers As Detected with Pyrosequencing

BACKGROUND

Vascular thrombotic tendency may lead to fetal growth restriction (FGR). Altered platelet function and genetic heterogeneity may play a role in this procedure. We investigated whether maternal or fetal genotypic frequencies of genes polymorphisms for certain platelet receptor and cell adhesion molecules are altered in FGR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We compared the maternal and fetal genotypic frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in four genes coding for platelet receptors and cell adhesion molecules [integrin alpha subunit 2 (ITGA2)C807T, integrin subunit beta 3(ITGB3) T1565C, platelet cell adhesion protein 1 (PECAM1) CTG-GTG and selectin P(SELP)A/C]. A total of 32 fetuses with fetal growth restriction and their mothers were matched with 18 normal controls. Using maternal venous blood and umbilical cord blood samples, nucleotide sequences were determined from pyrograms. Genotypic frequencies were calculated and analyzed using appropriate tests and logistic regression.

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference in the proportion of heterozygotes or homozygotes for any of the genotypic frequencies between FGR and control groups in mothers or fetuses.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated no association of maternal or fetal ITGA2 C807T SNP, ITGB3 T1565C SNP, PECAM1 CTG - GTG and SELP A/C polymorphisms with FGR.

[Hypertension in pregnancy and future maternal health]

Preeclampsia is a specific risk factor chronic of hypertension, of coronary events (Ray et al., 2005), of stroke (Brown et al., 2006), of chronic renal failure (Kattah and Garovic, 2005; McDonald et al., 2003; Williams, 2003) and a specific risk factor of cardio-cerebrovascular mortality (Magnussen et al., 2009). According to Magnusson et al. (2009), the relative long-term risk of developing hypertension is multiplied by 4; the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome multiplied by 3; the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke multiplied by 2. Cardiovascular risk is particularly important when pregnancy was complicated by maternal and fetal events or occurring precociously (Williams, 2003; Newstead et al., 2007). Early PE is associated with a relative risk of death by 7 of CV disease. Several pathophysiological factors are common between CV disease and preeclampsia: endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and CV heredity. Metabolic syndrome could be the link between preeclampsia and CV disease. Hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia could unmask metabolic syndrome "latent" existing (Silva et al., 2008). Recently, scientific societies have published guidelines dedicated to cardiovascular risk in women and for the prevention of stroke in women. They recognize hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia as specific emerging risk (Mosca et al., 2011; European Society of Gynecology et al., 2011; Bushnell et al., 2014). Paradoxically, information and prevention of these women at risk is insufficient to ignorance and lack of awareness among health professionals (Brown et al., 2013). The education of women has become a major issue of prevention, developing specific consultation after delivery, encouraging them to optimize their lifestyle with a coordinated follow-up (Newstead et al., 2007; Mosca et al., 2011; European Society of Gynecology et al., 2011; Bushnell et al., 2014, Harskamp and Zeeman, 2007). In the end, the implementation of structured care pathway, further monitoring of these women, aims to improve the practices of health professionals (Manten et al., 2007; Adams et al., 2014; Mounier-Vehier et al., 2014).

Recurrent pre-eclampsia in women with metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia in women with a history of pre-eclampsia with both metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume postpartum, as compared with women without either entity.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Three tertiary referral hospitals in the Netherlands.

POPULATION

Women with a history of pre-eclampsia.

METHODS

In 196 women with a history of pre-eclampsia we determined the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome using the World Health Organization criteria and measured plasma volume with the (125) I-human serum albumin indicator dilution technique. We compared the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia in four groups, classified according to presence or absence of metabolic syndrome and low or normal plasma volume, calculating odds ratios (OR), adjusted for confounders.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Recurrence of pre-eclampsia in the subsequent pregnancy.

RESULTS

The prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia was 12% (12/99) in women without metabolic syndrome with normal plasma volume, versus 47% (8/17) in women with both metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume: OR 6.44 (95% CI 2.09-19.90), adjusted OR 7.90 (95% CI 2.30-27.16). Recurrent pre-eclampsia was present in 44% (10/23) and 25% (14/57) of women with isolated metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the concomitant presence of metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume, the prevalence of recurrent pre-eclampsia was nearly 50%, which is four times as high as the prevalence in women without either entity.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Metabolic syndrome and low plasma volume raise the risk of recurrent pre-eclampsia to nearly 50%.