Dynamic Lipid–Glycaemic Index and Inflammation—Endothelial Shifts and Fetal Aortic Wall Thickening: A Repeated-Measures Gestational Phenotyping Study

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Maternal dyslipidaemia and low-grade inflammation are recognised drivers of in utero vascular remodelling, yet composite dynamic markers that integrate lipid-glycaemic, inflammatory and endothelial signals have not been evaluated. We investigated whether eight-week trajectories in the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) outperform single-timepoint lipids for predicting fetal aortic remodelling. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: In a prospective repeated-measures study, 90 singleton pregnancies were examined at 24-26 weeks (Visit-1) and 32-34 weeks (Visit-2). At each visit, we obtained fasting lipids, TyG index, hsCRP, IL-6, oxidative-stress markers (MDA, NOx), brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid IMT and uterine-artery Doppler, together with advanced fetal ultrasonography (abdominal-aorta IMT, ventricular strain, Tei-index, fetal pulse-wave velocity). Mothers were grouped by k-means clustering of the visit-to-visit change (Δ) in TG, TyG, hsCRP, IL-6 and FMD into three Metabolic-Inflammatory Response Phenotypes (MIRP-1/2/3). Linear mixed-effects models and extreme-gradient-boosting quantified associations and predictive performance. <i>Results</i>: Mean gestational TG rose from 138.6 ± 14.1 mg/dL to 166.9 ± 15.2 mg/dL, TyG by 0.21 ± 0.07 units and FMD fell by 1.86 ± 0.45%. MIRP-3 ("Metabolic + Inflammatory"; n = 31) showed the largest change (Δ) Δ-hsCRP (+0.69 mg/L) and Δ-FMD (-2.8%) and displayed a fetal IMT increase of +0.17 ± 0.05 mm versus +0.07 ± 0.03 mm in MIRP-1 (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Mixed-effects modelling identified Δ-TyG (β = +0.054 mm per unit), Δ-IL-6 (β = +0.009 mm) and Δ-FMD (β = -0.007 mm per %) as independent determinants of fetal IMT progression. An XGBoost model incorporating these Δ-variables predicted high fetal IMT (≥90th percentile) with AUROC 0.88, outperforming logistic regression (AUROC 0.74). <i>Conclusions</i>: A short-term surge in maternal TyG, IL-6 and endothelial dysfunction delineates a high-risk phenotype that doubles fetal aortic wall thickening and impairs myocardial performance. Composite dynamic indices demonstrated superior predictive value compared with individual lipid markers.

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Journal
Medicina
Published
2025-05-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61060964
Primary Topic
Birth, Development, and Health
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article
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article

Dynamic Lipid–Glycaemic Index and Inflammation—Endothelial Shifts and Fetal Aortic Wall Thickening: A Repeated-Measures Gestational Phenotyping Study

Ioan Sas, Maria Cezara Mureșan, Ioan Ovidiu Sîrbu, Cosmin Cîtu et al.
Medicina
Birth, Development, and Health
article

Dynamic Lipid–Glycaemic Index and Inflammation—Endothelial Shifts and Fetal Aortic Wall Thickening: A Repeated-Measures Gestational Phenotyping Study

Ioan Sas, Maria Cezara Mureșan, Ioan Ovidiu Sîrbu, Cosmin Cîtu, Adrian Rațiu, Zoran Laurentiu Popa, Biliana Belovan
article en

Abstract

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Maternal dyslipidaemia and low-grade inflammation are recognised drivers of in utero vascular remodelling, yet composite dynamic markers that integrate lipid-glycaemic, inflammatory and endothelial signals have not been evaluated. We investigated whether eight-week trajectories in the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) outperform single-timepoint lipids for predicting fetal aortic remodelling. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: In a prospective repeated-measures study, 90 singleton pregnancies were examined at 24-26 weeks (Visit-1) and 32-34 weeks (Visit-2). At each visit, we obtained fasting lipids, TyG index, hsCRP, IL-6, oxidative-stress markers (MDA, NOx), brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid IMT and uterine-artery Doppler, together with advanced fetal ultrasonography (abdominal-aorta IMT, ventricular strain, Tei-index, fetal pulse-wave velocity). Mothers were grouped by k-means clustering of the visit-to-visit change (Δ) in TG, TyG, hsCRP, IL-6 and FMD into three Metabolic-Inflammatory Response Phenotypes (MIRP-1/2/3). Linear mixed-effects models and extreme-gradient-boosting quantified associations and predictive performance. <i>Results</i>: Mean gestational TG rose from 138.6 ± 14.1 mg/dL to 166.9 ± 15.2 mg/dL, TyG by 0.21 ± 0.07 units and FMD fell by 1.86 ± 0.45%. MIRP-3 ("Metabolic + Inflammatory"; n = 31) showed the largest change (Δ) Δ-hsCRP (+0.69 mg/L) and Δ-FMD (-2.8%) and displayed a fetal IMT increase of +0.17 ± 0.05 mm versus +0.07 ± 0.03 mm in MIRP-1 (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Mixed-effects modelling identified Δ-TyG (β = +0.054 mm per unit), Δ-IL-6 (β = +0.009 mm) and Δ-FMD (β = -0.007 mm per %) as independent determinants of fetal IMT progression. An XGBoost model incorporating these Δ-variables predicted high fetal IMT (≥90th percentile) with AUROC 0.88, outperforming logistic regression (AUROC 0.74). <i>Conclusions</i>: A short-term surge in maternal TyG, IL-6 and endothelial dysfunction delineates a high-risk phenotype that doubles fetal aortic wall thickening and impairs myocardial performance. Composite dynamic indices demonstrated superior predictive value compared with individual lipid markers.

MedicinaVol. 61(6)
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara (RO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 84%
Birth, Development, and Health
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