Abstract 4143303: Association of Preeclampsia with Long-Term Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Utilizing Cardiac Stress Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with cardiovascular disease. Systemic peripartum microvascular alternations have been implicated in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Whether coronary microvascular dysfunction is a potential mediator of preeclampsia-associated cardiovascular risk is unknown. We aimed to determine whether individuals with a history of preeclampsia have coronary microvascular dysfunction measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) at least 5 years postpartum. Methods: Women with singleton pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and a comparator group with uncomplicated, normotensive deliveries were identified and prospectively enrolled to undergo regadenoson stress perfusion CMR (1.5T Signa Artist GE HealthCare) at least 5 years postpartum. Using the dual sequence technique, fully quantitative perfusion values were determined using Fermi deconvolution. Myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) was calculated as the ratio of stress to rest myocardial blood flow (MBF). Results: Twenty-three subjects (41.0 ± 6 years, 12.7 ± 5 years post-partum) were included. Women with a history of preeclampsia (n=11) were compared to a control group of women with prior normotensive pregnancy (n=12) ( Figure 1A ). Obesity and diabetes were more common with preeclampsia, but there was no significant difference in the presence of hypertension between the groups (Table 1A). There was no difference in stress MBF. However, preeclampsia was associated with higher rest MBF (1.47 ± 0.54 mL/g/min vs. 1.19 ± 0.29 mL/g/min; p=0.07) and MPR (1.96 ± 0.46 vs 2.66 ± 1.0; p=0.02) compared to normotensive pregnancy ( Figure 1 ). Similarly, corrected MPR remained significantly lower with prior preeclampsia versus uncomplicated pregnancy (2.36 ± 1.0 vs 3.36 ± 1.46; p=0.03). Conclusions: In this study, we observed significantly reduced coronary microvascular function following a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia at least 5 years postpartum. Heightened cardiovascular risk factors may attenuate this association; however, these observations indicate that systemic microvascular dysfunction in preeclampsia also involves the coronary microcirculation. Further research is needed to better understand the timing and association of these microvascular changes concerning preeclampsia and later heart disease.