Increased arterial stiffness and reduced left ventricular long-axis function in patients recovered from peripartum cardiomyopathy

• Background Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is idiopathic pregnancy-associated heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to assess arterial stiffness and left ventricular (LV) function in women recovered from PPCM compared with controls. Methods Twenty-two PPCM patients were compared with 15 age-matched controls with previous uncomplicated pregnancies. Eleven of the patients were at inclusion in the study recovered and off medication since at least 6 months and still free from cardiovascular symptoms with normal LVEF and normal NT-proBNP. All underwent echocardiography, including LV strain, left atrial (LA) reservoir strain and tissue Doppler early diastolic velocity (e ') and non-invasive assessment for arterial stiffness and central aortic systolic blood pressure (AoBP) at rest and immediately postexercise. Results The patients off medication showed alterations compared with controls. AoBP was higher (120 +/- 9 mm Hg vs. 104 +/- 13 mm Hg; p = .001), a difference which persisted postexercise. The arterial elastance was higher (1.9 +/- 0.4 mm Hg/ml vs. 1.3 +/- 0.2 mm Hg/ml; p < .001), while there were lower e ' septal (8.9 +/- 1.7 cm/s vs. 11.0 +/- 1.1 cm/s; p = 0. 002), LV global strain (18.7 +/- 3.9% vs. 23.1 +/- 1.6%; p = .004) and LA reservoir strain (24.8 +/- 9.1% vs. 37.7 +/- 6.3%; p = .002). Conclusions Compared with healthy controls, PPCM patients considered recovered and off medication had increased arterial stiffness, decreased LV longitudinal function and reduced LA function.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Fysiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Physiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

arterial function

echocardiography

heart failure

preeclampsia

pregnancy

pulse-wave velocity

diastolic function

blood-pressure

heart-failure

association

pregnancy

arteriograph

hypertension

dysfunction

validation

Physiology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)