Clinical Factors and Biomarkers During Pregnancy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Are biomarkers measured during pregnancy independently associated with risk of long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD)?In this cohort study using a population-based registry of 38 455 pregnancies, 2056 women had biomarkers measured during pregnancy, 28 of whom developed CVD over a median follow-up of 11.9 years. Higher third-trimester concentrations of high-sensitivity troponin I and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) were independently associated with subsequent CVD; a combined model including age and sFlt-1 improved risk stratification for CVD compared with age alone, whereas a clinical model did not.The findings suggest that pregnancy may provide an opportunistic window for sex-specific cardiovascular risk assessment.

Corresponding Author: Lucas Bacmeister, MD, University Heart Center Freiburg - Bad Krozingen, Clinic for Cardiology and Angiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany (lucas.bacmeister@uniklinik-freiburg.de).

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