deMartelly VA, Dreixler J, Tung A, et al. - Researchers investigated whether activin A concentrations would remain elevated more than 1 year following a preeclamptic pregnancy and would correlate with impaired cardiac function. For this purpose, they examined women nearly 10 years following an uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 25) or a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia (n = 21). Echocardiograms were performed and activin A levels were determined. Worse global longitudinal strain, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, and interventricular septal thickness were present in females with preeclampsia vs those with a previously normal pregnancy. Findings revealed that at 10 years after a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, both activin A concentrations and global longitudinal strain were increased.