Abnormal microvascular reactivity with hypercholesterolaemia in pregnancy

Post-occlusive skin reactive hyperaemia (PORH) is a model used to assess microvascular reactivity. This study aims to compare PORH response among pregnant hypercholesterolaemic patients with age and gestational age-matched controls.

This cross sectional study involved 17 hypercholesterolaemic, pregnant women and 20 pregnant controls entering their early third trimester. Laser Doppler fluximetry (LDF) was used to measure skin perfusion. The process of PORH was performed by occluding the upper arm with an occlusion cuff at 200 mmHg for 3 minutes. Skin perfusion was recorded before, during, and after occlusion release. Baseline perfusion, time to achieve peak perfusion (Tp), peak perfusion after occlusion release (PORH(peak)), and maximum change in perfusion due to occlusion (PORH(max)) were recorded.

Serum total cholesterol (TC) was significantly different (P < 0.001) between the 2 groups: 7.25 (SEM 0.18) mmol/L for hypercholesterolaemic women and 5.54 (SEM 0.15) mmol/L for the control group. There were no significant differences in their baseline, PORH(peak), and PORH(max). However, Tp in the hypercholesterolaemic group was significantly increased (P = 0.024) compared with the controls at 14.9 (SEM 0.6) seconds and 13.1 (SEM 0.5) seconds, respectively.

Pregnant hypercholesterolaemic patients showed an abnormal microvascular reactivity response. Tp with ischemia was significantly increased compared with normocholesterolaemic controls.