Serum Pentraxin 3 is associated with signs of arterial alteration in women with preeclampsia

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) in pregnancy is a state of exaggerated inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Levels of pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a novel inflammation marker, are increased during PE and in individuals with CVD. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether serum PTX3 in women with PE is associated with adverse arterial effects; a thicker intima and higher intima/media (I/M) ratio in the common carotid artery (CCA).

Methods: Serum PTX3 levels were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, and individual CCA intima and media thicknesses were estimated by 22MHz non-invasive ultrasound in 55 women at PE diagnosis and 64 women with normal pregnancies at a similar gestational age, and about one year postpartum. A thick intima, thin media and high I/M ratio indicate a less healthy artery wall.

Results: During pregnancy serum PTX3 correlated positively with intima thickness and I/M ratio but negatively with media thickness (all p<0.0001), indicating adverse arterial effects. About one year postpartum, PTX3 levels had decreased in both groups and there remained no significant group difference or significant correlation with CCA wall layers.

Conclusions: Higher levels of serum PTX3 in women with PE were significantly associated with signs of adverse arterial effects during pregnancy, but not one year postpartum, supporting the rapid dynamics of PTX3.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Common carotid artery intima/media ratio; High-frequency ultrasound; PTX3; Preeclampsia.