AB1351 FULL LONGITUDINAL NAILFOLD VIDEOCAPILLAROSCOPY ANALYSIS OF MICROVASCULAR CHANGES DURING NORMAL PREGNANCY

Abstract

BackgroundDuring pregnancy profound physiologic changes are required to ensure fetal development and meet maternal needs. Microvascular remodelling is one major responsible for pregnancy haemodynamic adaptation, still it is not routinely evaluated in the obstetric field [1–2].ObjectivesTo investigate the role of nailfold capillaroscopy (NCV) as a gold-standard and safe technique in detecting microvascular changes during normal pregnancy and to explore its possible application in clinical obstetric setting.MethodsA population of 30 healthy pregnant women was longitudinally followed performing clinical assessment and NVC evaluation at each trimester and post-partum. Thirty non-pregnant age-matched healthy women having received at least two NVCs with a minimum 9 to 12-month interval were selected as controls. All NVC images were evaluated by a qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment using current standardised approach [3]. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore NVC parameters trend throughout gestation and its possible association with pregnancy course and clinical macrovascular parameters (i.e., systemic blood pressure, umbilical artery Doppler ultrasound).ResultsA progressive significant increase of capillary neoangiogenesis and a specular reduction in capillary dilations was observed during pregnancy (p<0.05). These statistically significant variations were not found in age-matched controls, who showed stable NVC parameters over a similar time frame (p<0.05). Not any significant association was found between NVC changes and pregnancy course, delivery outcome or macrovascular parameters.ConclusionThis first comprehensive longitudinal NVC evaluation during normal pregnancy reports significant physiological microvascular variations throughout gestation, suggesting NVC as a safe and promising technique for further investigate and define patterns of microvascular changes in pregnant patients with rheumatic diseases.References[1]Thevissen et al. Expert Rev Med Devices. 2017;14(12):961–7.[2]Abdo et al. Physiol Res 2014;63:395–408.[3]Smith et al. Autoimmun Rev 2020; 19(3):102458.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared