Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic findings, and 6-month outcomes in Ugandan women with peripartum cardiomyopathy

INTRODUCTION: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) affects previously healthy women commonly of African ancestry resulting into elevated morbidity and mortality rates. The clinical characteristics of PPCM are diverse but there is yet limited data on outcomes for women with PPCM in Uganda. We sought to elucidate the clinical presentation, echocardiographic findings, and 6-month outcomes among women with PPCM in Uganda. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 80 PPCM women matched for age were monitored over a 6-month period while on goal-directed medical therapy (GDMT) was conducted. All participants underwent a physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiography, echocardiography and biomarkers including NT-pro BNP and Prolactin at baseline and at 6-month follow-up visit. Additionally, 80 matched controls were recruited at baseline as comparison for the biomarkers. RESULTS: The mean age of cases and controls was 33.6 ± 6.6 and 30.2 ± 5.9 years respectively. Clinical data for cases were as follows: mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 35.7 ± 11.0%, mean LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) was -11.9 ± 4.7%, mean right ventricular GLS was -14.7 ± 10.9%. A total of 22 (27.5%) participants had a LVEF