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Age-Related Alterations in Cardiac Geometry in Formerly Preeclamptic Women and Healthy Parous Controls: An Explorative Study

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Abstract

Introduction

Preeclamptic pregnancies induce concentric left ventricular hypertrophy instead of eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy as seen in healthy pregnancies. Although these differences persist for at least several months postpartum, the long-term fate of these changes is unknown.

Objective

To explore the age-related changes in cardiovascular structure and function in formerly preeclamptic women relative to parous controls.

Methods

A total of 20 formerly preeclamptic women and 8 parous controls underwent 2 echocardiograms at 1 and 14 years of postpartum. With the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test, we analyzed the between-group differences in cardiac structure and function at both time points and the time-related changes in these indices.

Results

Left ventricular geometry and dimensions and systolic function were comparable in the 2 study groups at both time points. The age-related decline in E/A ratio and increase in intraventricular septum thickness were noted in both groups over time, without appreciable differences between groups.

Conclusion

A history of preeclampsia does not affect the age-related cardiac remodeling over a period of 14 years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Chahinda Ghossein-Doha MD, Sander M. J. van Kuijk MSc, Marc E. A. Spaanderman MD, PhD & Louis L. H. Peeters MD, PhD

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Sander M. J. van Kuijk MSc

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Tammo Delhaas MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Chahinda Ghossein-Doha MD
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  2. Sander M. J. van Kuijk MSc
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  3. Marc E. A. Spaanderman MD, PhD
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  4. Tammo Delhaas MD, PhD
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  5. Louis L. H. Peeters MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Chahinda Ghossein-Doha MD.

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Ghossein-Doha, C., van Kuijk, S.M.J., Spaanderman, M.E.A. et al. Age-Related Alterations in Cardiac Geometry in Formerly Preeclamptic Women and Healthy Parous Controls: An Explorative Study. Reprod. Sci. 20, 39–44 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719112459230

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719112459230

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