Publications by authors named "Stella Schlothauer"
Aims: This study aims to compare the clinical course of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) cohorts from Germany (G-PPCM) and South Africa (SA-PPCM) with fibrosis-related markers to get insights into novel pathomechanisms of PPCM.
Methods And Results: G-PPCM (n = 79) and SA-PPCM (n = 72) patients and healthy pregnancy-matched women from Germany (n = 56) and South Africa (n = 40) were enrolled. Circulating levels of procollagen type-I (PINP) and type-III (PIIINP) N-terminal propeptides, soluble ST2, galectin-3, and full-length and cleaved osteopontin (OPN) were measured at diagnosis (baseline) and 6 months of follow-up.
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to understand the relationship between cancer and heart failure in women who develop peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) during or after pregnancy.
- It found that cancer prevalence is significantly higher in PPCM patients (8.9%) compared to age-matched women (0.59%), with many having prior cancer treatments that may affect heart recovery.
- Genetic testing revealed that a notable percentage of PPCM patients with cancer carry gene variants linked to both heart conditions and cancer risk, suggesting the need for screening in women with a cancer history during pregnancy.
Aims: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) establishes late in pregnancy or in the first postpartum months. Many patients recover well within the first year, but long-term outcome studies on morbidity and mortality are rare. Here, we present 5-year follow-up data of a German PPCM cohort.
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- Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a serious heart condition that affects women with no prior heart issues, and is linked to the 16 kDa-prolactin fragment that causes vascular damage and heart failure.
- In a study comparing healthy postpartum women to those with PPCM, PAI-1 levels were significantly higher in PPCM patients at baseline but decreased after six months, coinciding with an improvement in heart function (LVEF).
- The researchers found that increased miR-146a levels in PPCM patients correlated with elevated PAI-1 and was associated with higher NF-κB activation in endothelial cells, suggesting a role of PAI-1 in the disease's underlying mechanisms.