IntroductionArterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and can be assessed by applanation tonometry by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIX) by pressure pulse wave analysis (PWA). As an inexpensive and operator independent alternative, photoelectric plethysmography (PPG) has been introduced with analysis of the digital volume pulse wave (DPA) and its second derivatives of wave reflections.ObjectiveThe objective was to investigate the repeatability of arterial stiffness parameters measured by digital pulse wave analysis (DPA) and the associations to applanation tonometry parameters.Methods and Results112 pregnant and non-pregnant individuals of different ages and genders were examined with SphygmoCor arterial wall tonometry and Meridian DPA finger photoplethysmography. Coefficients of repeatability, Bland-Altman plots, intraclass correlation coefficients and correlations to heart rate (HR) and body height were calculated for DPA variables, and the DPA variables were compared to tonometry variables left ventricular ejection time (LVET), PWV and AIX. No DPA variable showed any systematic measurement error or excellent repeatability, but dicrotic index (DI), dicrotic dilatation index (DDI), cardiac ejection elasticity index (EEI), aging index (AI) and second derivatives of the crude pulse wave curve, b/a and e/a, showed good repeatability. Overall, the correlations to AIX were better than to PWV, with correlations coefficients >0.70 for EEI, AI and b/a. Considering the level of repeatability and the correlations to tonometry, the overall best DPA parameters were EEI, AI and b/a. The two pansystolic time parameters, ejection time compensated (ETc) by DPA and LVET by tonometry, showed a significant but weak correlation.ConclusionFor estimation of the LV function, ETc, EEI and b/a are suitable, for large artery stiffness EEI, and for small arteries DI and DDI. The only global parameter, AI, showed a high repeatability and the overall best correlations with AIX and PWV.

Objective To correlate clinical outcomes to pathology in SARS‐CoV‐2 infected placentas in stillborn and live‐born infants presenting with fetal distress. Design Retrospective, observational. Setting Nationwide. Population Five stillborn and nine live‐born infants from 13 pregnant women infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 seeking care at seven different maternity units in Sweden. Methods Clinical outcomes and placental pathology were studied in 14 cases (one twin pregnancy) of maternal SARS‐CoV‐2 infection with impaired fetal outcome. Outcomes were correlated to placental pathology in order to investigate the impact of virus‐related pathology on the villous capillary endothelium, trophoblast and other cells. Main outcome measures Maternal and fetal clinical outcomes and placental pathology in stillborn and live‐born infants. Results Reduced fetal movements were reported (77%) and time from onset of maternal COVID‐19 symptoms to signs of fetal distress among live‐born infants was 6 (3–12) days and to diagnosis of stillbirth 11 (2–25) days. Two of the live‐born infants died during the postnatal period. Signs of fetal distress led to emergency caesarean section in all live‐born infants with umbilical cord blood gases and low Apgar scores confirming intrauterine hypoxia. Five stillborn and one live‐born neonate had confirmed congenital transmission. Massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition, intervillositis and trophoblast necrosis were associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 placental infection and congenital transmission. Conclusions SARS‐CoV‐2 can cause rapid placental dysfunction with subsequent acute fetal hypoxia leading to intrauterine fetal compromise. Associated placental pathology included massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition, intervillositis and trophoblast degeneration.

Introduction: Female sex hormones have vasorelaxing effects in non-pregnant and pregnant women. We aimed to investigate the effect of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for in vitro fertilization (IVF), and early pregnancy, on arterial stiffness as assessed by digital pulse wave analysis (DPA), hypothesizing reduced arterial stiffness as an effect of increased estrogen levels. Material and methods: A total of 68 women undergoing IVF were examined with DPA before conception and during IVF treatment with COH and embryo transfer (ET), and in gestational week seven in 19 women who became pregnant. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the DPA variables cardiac ejection elasticity index (EEI), b/a, dicrotic index (DI), d/a and aging index (AI) were measured. Results: HR was significantly increased at all measuring points (p ≤ 0.003) but MAP only at ET (p 0.007). DPA variables representing large arteries (EEI, b/a) and peripheral arteries (DI, but not d/a), and the global variable AI, indicated increased arterial stiffness at ET compared with baseline (p ≤ 0.035). No DPA variable was significantly changed at pregnancy measurements compared to baseline. Conclusion: During COH for IVF treatment, DPA showed no changes in arterial stiffness during the follicular phase or in early pregnancy, but increased arterial stiffness in central and peripheral arteries in the early luteal phase. The result suggests a hormonal hemodynamic activation counteracting the effects of estrogen. ARTICLE HISTORY