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Updated: May 27, 2026
05:51
Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
Published on: May 3, 2018
The association between preeclampsia and arterial stiffness
Anaïs Hausvater1, Tania Giannone, Yessica-Haydee Gomez Sandoval
1Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Journal of Hypertension
|December 3, 2011
Summary
Women with preeclampsia exhibit significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to those with normal pregnancies. This finding highlights a potential link between preeclampsia and future cardiovascular risks.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Reproductive Medicine
- Clinical Epidemiology
Background:
- Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
- Arterial stiffness is a marker of vascular health and a predictor of cardiovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between preeclampsia and arterial stiffness.
- To compare arterial stiffness in women with preeclampsia versus normotensive pregnancies and gestational hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library.
- Inclusion of 23 relevant studies investigating preeclampsia and arterial stiffness.
- Analysis of various arterial stiffness indices including pulse wave velocity and augmentation index.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased combined arterial stiffness indices in preeclampsia versus normotensive pregnancies (SMD 1.62).
- Significant increases in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (WMD 1.04) and augmentation index (WMD 15.10) in preeclampsia.
- Arterial stiffness was also significantly higher in preeclampsia compared to gestational hypertension.
Conclusions:
- Preeclampsia is associated with significant increases in arterial stiffness.
- Arterial stiffness measurements may aid in predicting preeclampsia.
- Elevated arterial stiffness in preeclampsia may contribute to future cardiovascular complications.
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