Elevated inflammatory markers in preeclamptic pregnancies, but no relation to systemic arterial stiffness

Objectives To investigate if circulating markers of systemic and vascular inflammation are associated with systemic arterial properties at term and 6 months post-partum in women with preeclampsia (PE) and normal pregnancy (NP). Study design Longitudinal, sampling at term and 6 months post-partum in 34 women (32 ± 6 years) with PE and 61 women (32 ± 5 years) with NP. Main outcome measures Circulating markers related to systemic and vascular inflammation were measured by enzyme immune-assay. Systemic arterial properties were estimated by Doppler (transthoracic echocardiography) and calibrated right subclavian artery pulse traces. Results CXCL16, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (sTNF-R1), monocyte chemoattractant peptide 1, pentraxin 3 and soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) were elevated at term in PE, and sTNF-R1 remained elevated 6 months post partum compared to NP. However, apart from a negative correlation between mean arterial pressure and sTNF-R1 and sVCAM-1 at term, no associations between systemic and vascular inflammatory markers and systemic arterial properties as reflected by characteristic impedance and arterial elastance, representing proximal aortic stiffness and effective arterial elastance, were found at any time point. Conclusions Preeclamptic pregnancies are characterized by increased circulating levels of systemic and vascular inflammatory markers. However, these are not associated with systemic arterial properties at term or 6 months post partum.