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Hypertension in pregnancy is associated with elevated C-reactive protein levels later in life

Catherine M Brown1, Stephen T Turner, Kent R Bailey

  • 1aDivision of Nephrology and Hypertension bDivision of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota cUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi dDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan eDivision of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Journal of Hypertension
|September 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Hypertension in pregnancy is linked to higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels later in life, indicating increased cardiovascular disease risk. This association persists even after accounting for BMI and other risk factors.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular epidemiology
  • Reproductive health
  • Inflammatory markers

Background:

  • Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • Hypertension during pregnancy has been previously associated with both elevated CRP and increased CVD risk later in life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between a history of hypertension in pregnancy and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in later life.
  • To determine if this association is independent of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors and body mass index (BMI).

Main Methods:

  • The study analyzed data from 2463 women in the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) study.
  • Participants were categorized into three groups: nulliparous, history of normotensive pregnancy, and history of hypertensive pregnancy.
  • Multiple linear regression models were used to compare mean CRP levels, adjusting for various covariates including BMI.

Main Results:

  • Women with a history of hypertensive pregnancies exhibited significantly higher CRP levels compared to women with normotensive pregnancies (P < 0.001).
  • This difference remained significant after adjusting for BMI and other cardiovascular risk factors.
  • No significant difference in CRP levels was observed between nulliparous women and those with a history of normotensive pregnancies.

Conclusions:

  • A history of hypertension in pregnancy is independently associated with elevated CRP levels in later life.
  • Elevated CRP may signify an ongoing inflammatory state in women with a history of hypertensive pregnancy disorders.
  • This finding suggests an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in this population.
Abstract

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