Maternal arterial stiffness in pregnancies affected by Type 1 diabetes mellitus

J. M. Anderson, M. D. Savvidou, C. Kaihura, C. M. McEniery, K. H. Nicolaides

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    10 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Aim There is little information about maternal central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness in pregnancies affected by Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether maternal arterial stiffness is altered in pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus compared with women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 37 pregnant women without diabetes and 37 pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus during the second trimester of pregnancy. Maternal wave reflection (augmentation index) and pulse wave velocity of the carotid-femoral and carotid-radial part of the arterial tree were assessed non-invasively using applanation tonometry. Results Pregnant women with normal pregnancies and Type 1 diabetes mellitus had similar augmentation index (3.7 ± 12.8 vs. 5.1 ± 12.6%, P = 0.6), even after adjusting for possible confounders. Within the group of diabetic women, augmentation index was associated with duration of diabetes (P = 0.003, r2 = 0.22) but not with glycated haemoglobin. Pulse wave velocities were similar between the two groups of women (carotid-femoral: 5.6 ± 0.9 vs. 5.7 ± 1.1 m/s, P = 0.4; carotid-radial: 7.4 ± 1.2 vs. 7.8 ± 1 m/s, P = 0.1). In the diabetic women there was no significant association between the pulse wave velocities and either duration of diabetes or glycated haemoglobin. Conclusions Pregnancy in women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus is not associated with altered maternal systemic arterial stiffness. However, maternal wave reflections increase with the duration of diabetes. Diabet. Med. 26, 1135-1140 (2009)

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1135-1140
    Number of pages6
    JournalDiabetic Medicine
    Volume26
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2009

    Keywords

    • Arterial stiffness
    • Pregnancy
    • Pulse wave analysis
    • Type 1 diabetes mellitus

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