Clinical and echocardiographic predictors of outcomes in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy: A single centre, six month follow-up study

Abstract

Introduction: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an important cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. But, there is a paucity of prospective data on outcomes and prognostic markers in patients receiving contemporary evidence-based therapy, particularly in developing countries. Methods: This was a single centre, prospective, cohort study on 43 PPCM patients who were followed for 6 months. The primary endpoint was a composite incidence of decompensation related re-hospitalization, all-cause death, and poor recovery (defined as left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF: 29.6 ml/m2 with 72% accuracy) at presentation but not LVEF, predicts poor outcomes. Presence of both these risk factors at index hospitalization was associated with a significantly lower event free survival compared to patients without these predictors.

Keywords

• Peripartum cardiomyopathy
• Bromocriptine
• Fractional area change
• Ejection fraction
• Left atrial volume index
• Inotropes