OBJECTIVE: To assess endothelial cell function throughout normal human pregnancy. DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study. POPULATION: Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and female nursing staff. METHODS: Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) was measured by high resolution ultrasound and used as a surrogate measure for endothelial cell function and measured in pregnant women and in non-pregnant female controls. Measurements were performed throughout normal pregnancies in each trimester. RESULTS: Mean FMD was increased by 80% and 64% in the third trimester compared to the first and second trimesters, respectively, and by 92% compared to the mean FMD of the non-pregnant controls. The increased FMD in the third trimester was demonstrated to be statistically significant in comparison with all the above groups by two-sample t-tests (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: Endothelial cell function, measured by ultrasound assessment of FMD, is enhanced in late normal human pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE: To assess endothelial cell function throughout normal human pregnancy. DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study. POPULATION: Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and female nursing staff. METHODS: Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) was measured by high resolution ultrasound and used as a surrogate measure for endothelial cell function and measured in pregnant women and in non-pregnant female controls. Measurements were performed throughout normal pregnancies in each trimester. RESULTS: Mean FMD was increased by 80% and 64% in the third trimester compared to the first and second trimesters, respectively, and by 92% compared to the mean FMD of the non-pregnant controls. The increased FMD in the third trimester was demonstrated to be statistically significant in comparison with all the above groups by two-sample t-tests (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: Endothelial cell function, measured by ultrasound assessment of FMD, is enhanced in late normal human pregnancy.
Authors: Delrae M Eckman; Ridhima Gupta; Charles R Rosenfeld; Timothy M Morgan; Shelton M Charles; Heather Mertz; Lorna G Moore Journal: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Date: 2012-06-27 Impact factor: 3.619
Authors: Heli Saarelainen; Henna Kärkkäinen; Pirjo Valtonen; Kari Punnonen; Tomi Laitinen; Nonna Heiskanen; Tiina Lyyra-Laitinen; Esko Vanninen; Seppo Heinonen Journal: ISRN Obstet Gynecol Date: 2012-01-17