Pregnancy-Related Hyperlipidemia and Endothelial Function in Healthy Women

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of the present study was to investigate pregnancy-related changes in the maternal serum lipid profile and endothelial function. Methods and ResultsAs part of the population-based, prospective cohort Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study conducted in Finland, 57 pregnant Finnish women and 62 control women matched for age and smoking were examined throughout gestation. Serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined and concomitantly endothelium-dependent brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) was measured by ultrasound. During pregnancy serum TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly when compared with the non-pregnant state (p<0.001 for each) and towards the end of pregnancy (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.007, p<0.001, p<0.001). FMD increased towards the end of pregnancy and there was a statistically significant direct correlation between gestational age and FMD% (r=0.345, p=0.010). Brachial artery diameter at rest and FMD% were negatively correlated in pregnant (r=-0.280, p=0.035) and non-pregnant women (r=-0.360, p<0.004). The univariate correlation analysis showed a direct correlation between maternal serum TC (r=0.333, p=0.012) and TG (r=0.366, p=0.006) and FMD%, whereas a negative non-significant correlation was found in non-pregnant women. In a multivariate model, vessel size ( =-0.436, p=0.001) and TG ( =0.502, p<0.001) were the most powerful predictors for FMD% in pregnancy, the influence of other lipids was non-significant. Conclusions In healthy pregnant women increased gestational age is associated with improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation responses regardless of concurrently appearing lipid changes. (Circ J 2006; 70: 768 -772)

Serum L-Homoarginine Concentration is Elevated During Normal Pregnancy and is Related to Flow-Mediated Vasodilatation

“…Regardless of hypercholesterolemia, the FMD values were concomitantly enhanced towards the end of pregnancy. 45 …”

Endothelial Dysfunction

“…Although endothelium-mediated vasodilatation and serum cholesterol showed a trend to correlate negatively, this association did not attain statistical significance. Because a negative nonsignificant correlation between total cholesterol and triglycerides has been found in nonpregnant women of similar age, 33 further studies, including fractioned/oxidized lipoproteins, deserve to be performed. In addition, women with both types of placentation defects had decreased flow-mediated vasodilatation and lower nitrite and higher cholesterol serum levels, whereas the PE group presented higher arterial blood pressures within the normotensive range and a greater prevalence of parental hypertension and premature atheromatous disease than control subjects or subjects with recurrent miscarriages.…”

Allelic Variants of Upstream Transcription Factor 1 Associate With Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

“…30 At the time of the latest follow-up in year 2001, 2,283 subjects took part (63.5% of the baseline cohort in 1980). 15,31,32 Subjects gave written consent and local ethics committees approved the study.…”