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Characterisation of peripartum cardiomyopathy by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

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Abstract

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare cause of heart failure. Only half of the patients recover normal cardiac function. We assessed the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and late enhancement imaging to detect myocardial fibrosis in order to predict cardiac function recovery in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Among a consecutive series of 1,037 patients referred for heart failure treatment or prognostic evaluation between 1999 and 2006, eight women had confirmed PPCM. They all underwent echocardiography and cardiac MRI for assessment of left ventricular anatomy, systolic function and detection of myocardial fibrosis through late enhancement imaging. Mean (± SD) baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 28 ± 4%. After a follow-up of 50 ± 9 months, half the patients recovered normal cardiac function (LVEF = 58 ± 4%) and four did not (LVEF = 35 ± 6%). None of the eight patients exhibited abnormal myocardial late enhancement. No difference in MRI characteristics was observed between the two groups. Patients with PPCM do not exhibit a specific cardiac MRI pattern and particularly no myocardial late enhancement. It suggests that myocardial fibrosis does not play a major role in the limitation of cardiac function recovery after PPCM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pôle de Cardiologie et Maladies Vasculaires, CHRU Lille et Université Lille 2, Bvd Pr J Leclercq, 59037, Lille Cedex, France

    Frederic Mouquet, Pascal de Groote, Nadia Bouabdallaoui, Joel Dagorn, Nicolas Lamblin & Christophe Bauters

  2. Radiologie et Imagerie Cardiovasculaire, CHRU Lille et Université Lille 2, Lille Cedex, France

    Christophe Lions, Serge Willoteaux & Jean Paul Beregi

  3. Gynécologie-Maternité, CHRU Lille et Université Lille 2, Lille Cedex, France

    Philippe Deruelle

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  1. Frederic Mouquet
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  2. Christophe Lions
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  3. Pascal de Groote
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  4. Nadia Bouabdallaoui
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  5. Serge Willoteaux
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  6. Joel Dagorn
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  7. Philippe Deruelle
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  8. Nicolas Lamblin
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  9. Christophe Bauters
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  10. Jean Paul Beregi
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Correspondence to Frederic Mouquet.

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Movie 1

Cine sequence in short axis of patient 7 at baseline (MPEG 8.21 MB)

Movie 2

Cine loop sequence in four-chambers view of patient 7 demonstrates the absence of myocardial late enhancement at baseline MRI (MPEG 911 KB)

Movie 3

Cine sequence in short axis of patient 7 after optimal treatment of heart failure (MPEG 6.37 MB)

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Mouquet, F., Lions, C., de Groote, P. et al. Characterisation of peripartum cardiomyopathy by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Eur Radiol 18, 2765–2769 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1067-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1067-x

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