Table 1.
Clinical Presentation at Diagnosis and Follow-Up in PPCM Patients With and Without Cancer Diagnosis
| All PPCM (N = 236) | No Prevalent Cancer (n = 215) | Cancer Before or After PPCM Diagnosis (n = 21) | Cancer Before PPCM Diagnosis (n = 12) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at index, yrs | 34 ± 5 (n = 236) | 34 ± 5 (n = 215) | 34 ± 5 (n = 21) | 33 ± 6 (n = 12) |
| Parity SSP | 1 (0–8) (n = 223) | 1 (0–8) (n = 204) | 1 (1–5) (n = 19) | 1 (1–3) (n = 10) |
| Twin pregnancy | 17 (35/212) | 16 (31/193) | 21 (4/19) | 30 (3/10) |
| Caesarean section | 70 (142/202) | 70 (128/182) | 70 (14/20) | 82 (9/11) |
| Pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders | 39 (88/227) | 40 (83/206) | 24 (5/21) | 17 (2/12) |
| Baseline LVEF, % | 28 ± 10 (n = 236) | 28 ± 10 (n = 215) | 29 ± 9 (n = 21) | 31 ± 10 (n = 12) |
| Follow-up LVEF, % | 50 ± 11 (n = 165) | 51 ± 11 (n = 145) | 46 ± 10 (n = 20)∗ | 43 ± 7 (n = 12)† |
| Beta-blocker, % | 91 (207/228) | 91 (188/207) | 90 (19/21) | 92 (11/12) |
| ACE inhibitor, ARB, % | 95 (214/226) | 95 (196/206) | 90 (18/20) | 91 (10/11) |
| Bromocriptine, % | 78 (175/224) | 79 (161/203) | 67 (14/21) | 75 (9/12) |
| Severe heart failure during follow-up, % | 15 (27/175) | 14 (21/154) | 29 (6/21) | 25 (3/12) |
| HTX/LVAD/death during follow-up, % | 6 (10/175) | 6 (9/154) | 5 (1/21) | 0 (0/12) |
| Full recovery at follow-up, % | 53 (92/175) | 55 (84/154) | 38 (8/21) | 17 (2/12)‡ |
Values are mean ± SD, mean (range), or % (n/N). The exact number of datasets analyzed for each parameter is provided in parentheses after each of the values. Baseline refers to time of PPCM diagnosis. Follow-up after PPCM in Table 1 was 7 ± 2 months with regard to follow-up LVEF. Severe heart failure at follow-up is defined as LVEF ≤35%, HTX, LVAD, or death during follow-up. Full-recovery at follow-up is defined as LVEF ≥50%. None of these patients experienced an abortion, miscarriage, or still birth. Comparison between the 2 groups (PPCM with cancer vs. PPCM without cancer) was performed using the Student's t-test for Gaussian distributed data and the Mann-Whitney U test where at least 1 column was not normally distributed. Categorical variables are presented as frequencies (proportions) and compared using Fisher exact tests.
ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker; HTX = heart transplantation; LVAD = left ventricular assist device; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; PPCM = peripartum cardiomyopathy.
p < 0.05 PPCM patients with cancer vs. PPCM patients without cancer; †p < 0.01 and ‡p < 0.05 PPCM patients with cancer prior PPCM vs. PPCM patients without cancer.