Premium
The relationship between brachial artery flow‐mediated dilatation, high sensitivity C‐reactive protein, and uterine artery doppler velocimetry in women with pre‐eclampsia
Author(s) -
Adali Ertan,
Kurdoglu Mertihan,
Adali Fulya,
Cim Numan,
Yildizhan Recep,
Kolusari Ali
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.20781
Subject(s) - medicine , uterine artery , brachial artery , laser doppler velocimetry , eclampsia , cardiology , endothelial dysfunction , blood pressure , pregnancy , blood flow , gestation , genetics , biology
Purpose: To investigate serum high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) levels and endothelial function in pregnancies complicated by pre‐eclampsia and to clarify their relationship with uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out in 70 pregnant women (35 patients with pre‐eclampsia and 35 age‐matched normotensive healthy pregnant women) during the third trimester of pregnancy. The maternal levels of serum hs‐CRP were determined in all cases by immunonephelometry. Uterine artery Doppler velocimetry was performed. Flow‐mediated dilatation was measured by sonography of the brachial artery for the assessment of endothelial function. Results: Serum hs‐CRP levels were higher in the pre‐eclamptic group than in the normotensive group. hs‐CRP levels were positively correlated with mean arterial pressure. Eleven patients with pre‐eclampsia had abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. hs‐CRP levels were significantly higher in pre‐eclamptic patients with than without abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. Endothelial function was inversely correlated with hs‐CRP levels and mean arterial pressure. Conclusions: These findings suggest that maternal serum hs‐CRP levels increase with the severity of pre‐eclampsia, reflecting endothelial dysfunction and constituting a potential marker of pathological utero‐placental perfusion, with a high risk for fetal growth restriction. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2011