Incident stroke in individuals with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) that occurs during the final month of pregnancy through the first 5 months postpartum, is associated with heightened risk for maternal morbidity and mortality. Stroke is a common complication of HFrEF but there is limited data on the incidence of stroke in PPCM.

METHODS

Using statewide, nonfederal administrative data from 2000 to 2015, we analyzed age-adjusted risk of stroke within 3 years after PPCM-associated pregnancies.

RESULTS

PPCM was associated with a greater than 4-fold increased risk of pregnancy-related stroke (aHR 4.7, 95% CI: 3.0-7.5). This risk was highest at the time of PPCM diagnosis but remained elevated in the first postpartum year.

CONCLUSION

Our findings confirm the strong association between PPCM and stroke, with risk that persists throughout and after the peripartum period.