ObjectiveTo explore the clinical value of pulse wave velocity（PWVβ）in evaluating the elasticity of carotid artery in patients with severe preeclampsia（SPE）.MethodsSixty-four patients with SPE（SPE group）and 31 women with normal pregnancy（control group）were randomly selected in our hospital. The general clinical data were recorded and bilateral common carotid artery ultrasound examination was performed in both groups antepartum and postpartum. The end systolic diameter（Ds）and end diastolic diameter（Dd）of bilateral common carotid artery were obtained by M-mode ultrasound.Mean intima-media thickness（IMT）in the middle segment of bilateral common carotid artery was obtained by quality intimamedia thickness（QIMT）technique

PWVβ was calculated for statistical analysis.ResultsIn SPE group

the prenatal examination was at（32.29 ± 4.18）gestational weeks and the postnatal review time was at（21.79 ± 5.03）weeks

and in control group

the prenatal examination was at（33.45±5.38）gestational weeks and the postnatal review time was at（21.97±3.80）weeks

there were no significant difference between the two groups.（1）Comparison between groups:before birth

the body mass

body mass index （BMI）

systolic pressure

diastolic pressure

Ds

Dd

IMT and PWVβ of the SPE group were all increased compared with the control group（all P<0.05）.After delivery（average 21.79 weeks）

body mass

BMI

systolic pressure

diastolic pressure

IMT and PWVβ of the SPE group were increased compared with the control group（all P<0.05）.（2） Comparison within the group:postpartum body mass

BMI

Ds

Dd

PWVβ of the SPE group were decreased compared with antepartum（all P<0.05）

after delivery

body mass

BMI

Ds and Dd were decreased in the control group（all P<0.05）

PWVβ showed a decreasing trend

but the difference was not statistical significance.Compared with the change of PWVβ value before and after delivery in the control group

the change of PWVβ value before and after delivery in the SPE group showed an increasing trend

but the difference was not statistically significant.PWVβ were positively correlated with age

body mass

BMI

systolic pressure

diastolic pressure

Ds and Dd in all subjects and SPE groups（Rall=0.23

0.29

0.30

0.43

0.28

0.24

0.38

RSPE=0.20

0.26

0.27

0.33

0.17

0.20

0.34

all P<0.05）. Ds

Dd

systolic pressure and diastolic pressure were independent risk factors for carotid PWVβ（all P=0.01）.ConclusionThe carotid artery elasticity can be evaluated by PWVβ.The increase of PWVβ shows that the prenatal carotid artery elasticity has been damaged in patients with SPE.Although the carotid artery elasticity has recovered significantly after the average 21.79 weeks postpartum

it has not recovered to the same postpartum state of women with normal pregnancy history.This is related to the recovery of postpartum Ds

Dd

systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in SPE patients.