AIMS: A history of preeclampsia is associated with at least a twofold increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), with unclear underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate coronary plaque characteristics in women with a history of preeclampsia compared to women from the general population.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, women with a history of preeclampsia from the Cardiovascular Riskprofile - Imaging and Gender-Specific Disorders (CREw-IMAGO) study (n=138) were compared to a reference group of women without a self-reported history of preeclampsia from the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage study (SCAPIS, n=390). All participants (age 45-55 years) underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Plaques were assessed quantitatively with semi-automated software for total, calcified, and noncalcified plaque volumes. Differences in plaque characteristics were analyzed using multivariable linear regression analyses.
RESULTS: Women with a history of preeclampsia had a twofold increased risk of having any coronary plaque. Among women with plaques, a history of preeclampsia was associated with a larger noncalcified plaque volume (beta: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.17-1.07) after adjustment for age, body mass index, education, dyslipidaemia, and a history of smoking. This was explained by larger volumes of fibrous plaque (beta: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.26-1.15) and fibrous fatty plaque (beta: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.01-1.03) and not due to a larger total plaque volume.
CONCLUSION: Women with a history of preeclampsia have coronary plaques with larger noncalcified plaque volume compared to unaffected women, driven by larger fibrous and fibrous fatty plaque volumes, independent of total plaque volume.
}}, author = {{de Jonge, Mayra L L and Velthuis, Birgitta K and den Ruijter, Hester M and Pihlsgård, Mats and Gonçalves, Isabel and Zoet, Gerbrand A and van Rijn, Bas B and Franx, Arie and Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine E and Timpka, Simon and Onland-Moret, N Charlotte}}, issn = {{2047-4881}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{11}}, publisher = {{Oxford University Press}}, series = {{European Journal of Preventive Cardiology}}, title = {{Quantitative coronary CT analysis reveals noncalcified atherosclerotic plaques in women with a history of preeclampsia}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf713}}, doi = {{10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf713}}, year = {{2025}}, }