Dataset Information

Prognostic implication of right ventricular involvement in peripartum cardiomyopathy: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a major cause of acute heart failure in the peripartum period and considered potentially life threatening. While many aspects of its clinical profiles have been frequently reported, functional analysis, in particular of the right ventricle, and tissue characterization by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging have been only sporadically described. The aim of the present study was to analyse pathological alterations and their prognostic relevance found in CMR imaging of patients newly diagnosed with PPCM.

Methods and results

In this multicenter study 34 patients with confirmed PPCM underwent CMR imaging at the time of diagnosis and at 5 ± 1 months follow-up. Cine imaging of PPCM patients showed moderate to severe reduction of systolic left ventricular (LV) function (mean LVEF: 29.7 ± 12.8%). In 35% of the patients right ventricular (RV) systolic function was also reduced with a mean RVEF of 42.9 ± 13.9%. Dilatation of the LV was observed in 91% (mean LV-EDV/BSA 128.5 ± 32.1 mL/m²), and dilatation of the RV was present in 24% (mean RV-EDV/BSA 87.4 ± 18.5 mL/m²) of the patients. Focal non-ischemic late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was visible in 71%, and regional wall motion abnormalities were evident in 88% of the patients. LGE and wall motion abnormalities were predominantly located in the anteroseptal and basal to midventricular segments. RV dysfunction at baseline was associated with reduced probability of full cardiac recovery at 5 ± 1 months follow-up.

Conclusions

Besides LV systolic dysfunction, RV dysfunction and dilatation are observed in about one third of PPCM patients at the time of diagnosis. RV dysfunction is associated with unfavourable outcome. A distinct pattern of LV wall motion abnormalities and myocardial scar is evident in most PPCM patients. The present study may help to establish a set of CMR criteria suitable for diagnosis in patients with suspected PPCM and may add further knowledge to the pathology of the disease.

SUBMITTER: Haghikia A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5054874 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction predicts adverse outcome in peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). We recently demonstrated beneficial effects associated with the prolactin release inhibitor bromocriptine at different doses when added to standard heart failure therapy in PPCM. Here, we evaluated for the first time the therapeutic potential of bromocriptine particularly in PPCM patients with RV involvement. METHODS:In this study, 40 patients with PPCM were included, of whom 24 patients had reduced RV ejection fraction (RVEF?<?45%). We examined the effect of short-term (1W: bromocriptine, 2.5 mg, 7 days, n?=?10) compared with long-term bromocriptine treatment (8W: 5 mg for 2 weeks followed by 2.5 mg for another 6 weeks, n?=?14) in addition to guideline-based heart failure therapy in patients with an initial RVEF?<?45% on the following outcomes: (1) change from baseline (? delta) in RVEF, (2) change from baseline in left ventricular EF (LVEF), and (3) rate of patients with full LV recovery (LVEF???50%) and (4) rate of patients with full RV recovery (RVEF???55%) at 6-month follow-up as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS:Reduced RVEF at initial presentation was associated with a lower rate of full cardiac recovery at 6-month follow-up (patients with RV dysfunction: 58% vs. patients with normal RV function: 81%; p?=?0.027). RVEF increased from 38?±?7 to 53?±?11% with a delta-RVEF of +?15?±?12% in the 1W group, and from 35?±?9 to 58?±?7% with a ? RVEF of +?23?±?10% in the 8W group (? RVEF 1W vs 8W: p?=?0.118). LVEF increased from 25?±?8 to 46?±?12% with a ? LVEF of +?21?±?11% in the 1W group, and from 22?±?6 to 49?±?10% with a ? LVEF of +?27?±?9% in the 8W group (? LVEF 1W vs 8W: p?=?0.211). Full LV recovery was present in 50% of the 1W group and in 64% of the 8W group (p?=?0.678). Full RV recovery was observed in 40% of the 1W group and in 79% of the 8W group (p?=?0.092). CONCLUSIONS:Despite overall worse outcome in patients with RV dysfunction at baseline, bromocriptine treatment in PPCM patients with RV involvement was associated with a high rate of full RV and LV recovery, although no significant differences were observed between the short-term and long-term bromocriptine treatment regime. These findings suggest that bromocriptine in addition to standard heart failure therapy may be also effective in PPCM patients with biventricular impairment.