The Relationship Between Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilatation, High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, and Uterine Artery Doppler Velocimetry in Women with Pre-Eclampsia

Purpose: To investigate serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and endothelial function in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia. and to clarify their relationship with uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 70 pregnant women (35 patients with pre-eclampsia and 35 age-matched normotensive healthy pregnant women) during the third trimester of pregnancy. The maternal levels of serum hs-CRP were determined in all cases by immunonephelometry. Uterine artery Doppler velocimetry was performed. Flow-mediated dilatation was measured by sonography of the brachial artery for the assessment of endothelial function. Results: Serum hs-CRP levels were higher in the pre-eclamptic group than in the normotensive group. hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with mean arterial pressure. Eleven patients with pre-eclampsia had abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in pre-eclamptic patients with than without abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry. Endothelial function was inversely correlated with hs-CRP levels and mean arterial pressure. Conclusions: These findings suggest that maternal serum hs-CRP levels increase with the severity of pre-eclampsia, reflecting endothelial dysfunction and constituting a potential marker of pathological utero-placental perfusion,. with a high risk for fetal growth restriction. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 39:191-197, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/jcu.20781