title: Outcome of subsequent pregnancy in patients with documented peripartum cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Subsequent pregnancy in 6 patients with previous peripartum cardiomyopathy resulted in reduction of ejection fraction by >10% in 5 patients at 1 month postpartum. Two patients with impaired ejection fraction at onset of subsequent pregnancy died 3 months postpartum due to heart failure despite optimal medical therapy. Deterioration of left ventricular function occurred uniformly postpartum and was accompanied by elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha plasma levels from 2.4 +/- 1.1 pg/ml at onset of subsequent pregnancy to 6.2 +/- 2.4 pg/ml at 1 month postpartum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Bertsham 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa. hahnle@netactive.co.za
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sliwa
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Fitzgerald
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhanje
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Candy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kachope
authors.forename: Rafique
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Essop
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha