Pregnancy complications linked to PAD risk

A study published July 21 in PLOS Medicine by Casey Crump of the University of Texas at Austin and colleagues analyzed data from over 2 million women in Sweden, finding that five adverse pregnancy outcomes (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm delivery, small for gestational age, and other hypertensive disorders) are independently associated with increased long-term risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) up to 46 years after delivery. The study used Swedish national birth and health registries from 1973 to 2015, with follow-up through 2018. Among 2,201,446 women, 13,211 (0.6%) were diagnosed with PAD at a median age of 62. Adjusted hazard ratios at 30-46 years ranged from 1.28 for preeclampsia to 3.83 for gestational diabetes. Co-sibling analyses suggested these associations are not explained by shared familial factors. The authors recommend early cardiovascular risk assessment and long-term follow-up for women with pregnancy complications.