Carotid artery stiffness precedes the clinical onset of preeclampsia and persists postpartum: A longitudinal study

Purpose: Arterial stiffness is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and preeclampsia is linked with profound changes in the maternal cardiovascular system. The aim of this prospective study was to characterize differences in several arterial elasticity parameters throughout pregnancy and postpartum in relation to preeclampsia development. Material and methods: We longitudinally assessed pulse wave velocity (PWV), ß-stiffness index (ßSI), incremental elastic modulus (IEM), diameter (dD) and pressure difference (dP), compliance coefficient (CC), diameter distensibility (DD) and compliance (DC…