Shortness of Breath during Pregnancy: Could a Cardiac Factor Be Involved?

Sorel Goland, Sharon Perelman, Nardin Asalih, Sara Shimoni, Osnat Walfish, Mordechai Hallak, Zion Hagay, Jacob George, Avraham Shotan, David S. Blondheim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background Shortness of breath (SOB) is common among healthy women with normal pregnancies. However, when no overt cardiac or extra cardiac etiology is found, a subtle cardiac source must be excluded. Hypothesis Pregnancy may induce or unmask myocardial dysfunction that may cause SOB. Methods Healthy pregnant women with significant SOB were recruited for this study. We performed a comprehensive echocardiographic assessment including tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and 2- dimensional strain imaging (2DS). The echocardiographic data obtained were compared with that of a control group of pregnant women without SOB. Results Thirty pregnant women with SOB were enrolled in the study (age, 31.8 ± 4.9 years, and gestation, 38.2 ± 2.8 weeks) for whom no overt etiology for SOB was detected. Patients with SOB compared with controls had thicker hearts (septum: 10.1 ± 1.1 vs 8.9 ± 0.9 mm; P < 0.001; posterior wall: 9.4 ± 1.1 vs 8.9 ± 0.9 mm; P < 0.01), shorter E-wave deceleration time (158.0 ± 50.1 vs 187.1 ± 37.6 msec; P = 0.01), and higher pulmonary artery pressure (26.8 ± 6.2 vs 19.0 ± 6.5 mm Hg, P < 0.01). Women with SOB tended to have a lower S' velocity TDI (P = 0.05) and a trend toward increased torsion on 2DS (P = 0.09). Conclusions Significant SOB during otherwise normal pregnancy is associated with significant echocardiographic findings that may suggest a subtle cardiac involvement. Further investigation is necessary to verify such an association, which may have therapeutic implications for treating SOB of pregnancy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)598-603
Number of pages6
JournalClinical Cardiology
Volume38
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2015
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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