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Non‐invasive detection of alterations of the carotid artery in pregnant women with high‐frequency ultrasound
Author(s) -
Sator M. O.,
Joura E. A.,
Gruber D. M.,
Obruca A.,
Zeisler H.,
Egarter C.,
Huber J. C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1999.13040260.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intima media thickness , ultrasound , adventitia , carotid arteries , uterine artery , common carotid artery , obstetrics , gestational age , prospective cohort study , pregnancy , artery , gestation , gynecology , radiology , genetics , biology
Objective To compare the thickness of the layers of the carotid artery wall in pregnant and fertile non‐pregnant women. Design Prospective cross‐sectional study. Subjects Fifty‐one pregnant women at a mean gestational age of 38.9 weeks and 64 fertile non‐pregnant women were examined at a University hospital. Methods The three layers (adventitia, media, intima) of the superficial wall of the left common carotid artery were identified and measured with high‐resolution ultrasound (22.5 MHz). Results Pregnant women had a thinner intima layer (0.25 ± 0.07/0.29 ± 0.08 mm) and a thicker media layer (0.31 ± 0.08/0.27 ± 0.09 mm) compared with controls. A statistically significantly higher intima/media ratio was calculated for the pregnant women (1.14 ± 0.03), compared with the non‐pregnant women (0.88 ± 0.04). Conclusion There are differences in the thickness of the histological layers of the carotid artery wall in pregnant compared with non‐pregnant women. This is likely to be due to the effect of different estradiol levels in these two groups. Copyright © 1999 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology