Carotid intima-media-thickness precedes the clinical onset of preeclampsia and persists postpartum: A longitudinal study

Purpose: Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) is an established marker for endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular risk. This prospective study aimed to assess differences in cIMT before the onset of preeclampsia and postpartum. Material and methods: We longitudinally measured cIMT in 417 pregnant women (31 ± 5 years), in the first (T1: 11.4 ± 1.9 wks), second (T2: 21.5 ± 2.3 wks) and third trimester (T3: 32.5 ± 2.9 wks) and postpartum (21.6 ± 23.6 wks), using high-resolution ultrasound and an automated reading program. Comparisons were made with univariate ANOVA, data are expressed as mean (SD). Results: 56…