Longitudinal changes in left ventricular architecture and function in peripartum cardiomyopathy

Abstract Left ventricular (LV) function was quantitated in 14 patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy, in 10 using 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography and in 4 radionuclide ventriculography, and values were compared with those in 11 normal women in the immediate postpartum period. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume indexes, LV wall mass index and ejection fraction were calculated during the acute phase of the illness and serially through long-term follow-up (mean 24 months). During the acute phase of illness there was marked LV dilatation: mean end-diastolic volume index was 95 ± 22 MI/M 2 , vs 67 ± 9 ml/m 2 in control subjects (p 2 , compared to 27 ± 5 ml/m 2 in control subjects (p 2 (p