title: Myocardial recovery in peripartum cardiomyopathy: prospective comparison with recent onset cardiomyopathy in men and nonperipartum women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether myocardial recovery occurs more frequently in peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) than in recent onset cardiomyopathies in men and nonperipartum women has not been prospectively evaluated. This was examined through an analysis of outcomes in the Intervention in Myocarditis and Acute Cardiomyopathy 2 (IMAC2) registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IMAC2 enrolled 373 subjects with recent onset nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was assessed at entry and 6 months, and subjects followed for up to 4 years. Myocardial recovery was compared between men (group 1), nonperipartum women (group 2) and subjects with PPCM (group 3). The cohort included 230 subjects in group 1, 104 in group 2, and 39 in group 3. The mean LVEF at baseline in groups 1, 2, and 3 was 0.23 ± 0.08, 0.24 ± 0.08, and 0.27 ± 0.07 (P = .04), and at 6 months was 0.39 ± 0.12, 0.42 ± 0.11, and 0.45 ± 0.14 (P = .007). Subjects in group 3 had a much greater likelihood of achieving an LVEF >0.50 at 6 months than groups 1 or 2 (19 %, 34%, and 48% respectively, P = .002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prospective evaluation confirms myocardial recovery is greatest in women with PPCM, poorest in men, and intermediate in nonperipartum women. On contemporary therapy, nearly half of women with PPCM normalize cardiac function by 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mather
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Alexis
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Pauly
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torre-Amione
authors.forename: Ilan S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Wittstein
authors.forename: G William
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Dec
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zucker
authors.forename: Jagat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Narula
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kip
authors.forename: Dennis M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left