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Observational Study
. 2024 May 9;24(1):243.
doi: 10.1186/s12872-024-03906-y.

Recovery of left ventricular systolic function in peripartum cardiomyopathy: an observational study from rural Tanzania

Andrew Katende #  1   2 , Laurine Roos #  3   4 , Victor Z Urio  1   2 , Evance Mahundi  1   2 , Victor Myovela  1 , Dorcas Mnzava  2 , Chipegwa Mlula  1 , Christamonica Chitimbwa  1 , Dominick M Raphael  1 , Winfrid Gingo  1 , Fabian C Franzeck  4   5 , Daniel H Paris  3   4 , Luigia Elzi  6 , Maja Weisser  2   3   4   7 , Martin Rohacek  8   9   10   11   12
Affiliations
Observational Study

Recovery of left ventricular systolic function in peripartum cardiomyopathy: an observational study from rural Tanzania

Andrew Katende et al. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. .

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the recovery rate of the left ventricular systolic function of women diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy receiving specialized care in rural Tanzania.

Methods: In this observational study, women diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy at a referral center in rural Tanzania between December 2015 and September 2021 were included. Women diagnosed between February and September 2021 were followed prospectively, those diagnosed between December 2015 and January 2021 were tracked back for a follow-up echocardiography. All participants received a clinical examination, a comprehensive echocardiogram, and a prescription of guideline-directed medical therapy. The primary outcome was recovery of the left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction > 50%).

Results: Median age of the 110 participants was 28.5 years (range 17-45). At enrolment, 49 (45%) participants were already on cardiac medication, 50 (45%) had severe eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle, and the median left ventricular ejection fraction was 30% (range 15-46). After a median follow-up of 8.98 months (IQR 5.72-29.37), 61 (55%) participants were still on cardiac medication. Full recovery of the left ventricular systolic function was diagnosed in 76 (69%, 95% CI 59.6-77.6%) participants. In the multivariate analysis, a higher left ventricular ejection fraction at baseline was positively associated with full recovery (each 5% increase; OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.10-2.62, p = 0.012), while higher age was inversely associated (each 10 years increase; OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19-0.82, p = 0.012).

Conclusion: Left ventricular systolic function recovered completely in 69% of study participants with peripartum cardiomyopathy from rural Tanzania under specialized care.

Keywords: Left Ventricular Systolic Function; Peripartum cardiomyopathy; Recovery; Rural; Sub-Saharan Africa; Tanzania.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Enrolment of study participants
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A: Outcome of 110 participants according to baseline LVEF (< 30% or ≥ 30%). B: Change of LVEF according to baseline LVEF in individual participants LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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