Maternal carotid remodeling and increased carotid arterial stiffness in normal late-gestational pregnancy as assessed by radio-frequency ultrasound technique

Table 2 Right common carotid arterial characteristics of the study population

	Non-pregnancy	Normal pregnancy	*P Value*	*P Value* ¹
	(n = 30)	(n = 51)	*P Value*	*P Value* ¹
IMT, μm	392 ± 85	369 ± 78	0.204	0.497
D (mm)	6.3 ± 0.6	7.1 ± 0.4	<0.0001	0.399
RI	0.78 ± 0.05	0.73 ± 0.08	0.007	0.521
PI	2.13 ± 0.36	1.84 ± 0.41	0.006	0.270
DC, 1/kPa	0.05 ± 0.02	0.04 ± 0.02	0.0003	0.200
CC, mm²/kPa	1.33 ± 0.74	1.05 ± 0.41	0.048	0.101
α	2.73 ± 1.05	3.50 ± 1.18	0.004	0.046
β	5.62 ± 2.11	7.57 ± 3.50	0.004	0.046
PWV, m/s	5.29 ± 1.08	6.38 ± 1.35	0.0003	0.067
AIx, %	2.32 ± 5.87	-4.29 ± 6.48	<0.0001	0.440

Notes: Values are given as mean ± SD. IMT Intima-media thickness, RI Resistance index, PI Pulsatility index, DC Distensibility coefficient, CC Compliance coefficient, α and β Arterial stiffness, PWV Pulse wave velocity, AIx Augmentation index. P Value¹, P value adjusted for body mass index, gestational weeks, heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and mean arterial pressure.

ISSN: 1471-2393