Assessment of endothelial function in pregnant women with normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by hypertensive disorders

Objective. To assess the vascular endothelial function in the first trimester of pregnancy using the method of skin thermometry in the aspect of the development of hypertensive complications.

Materials and methods. One hundred women in the first trimester of pregnancy were examined. Based on the gestation outcomes they were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of 80 patients without pregnancy complications, group 2 included 20 women whose pregnancy was complicated by hypertensive disorders. Clinical and anamnestic risk factors were evaluated; blood pressure level, uterine artery pulsation index, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A were measured; endothelial function was assessed using high-resolution skin thermometry.

Results. Analysis of the obtained data showed significant differences in the body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and values of pulsation index in the uterine arteries. An increase in the indicators during the first trimester of pregnancy was observed in patients from the group with hypertensive disorders. The results of measurements of blood flow fluctuations in the microcirculatory system showed no significant differences in the compared groups.

Conclusions. The obtained results of measuring the amplitudes of blood flow fluctuations in the microcirculatory system indicate the absence of initial endothelial dysfunction in the maternal body. However, an increase in the body weight, initial level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, uterine artery pulsation index have an important role in predicting the development of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.