# Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A Case Series Emphasizing the Significance of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain Imaging

## TL;DR

This case series highlights the importance of using LV GLS imaging to diagnose and manage peripartum cardiomyopathy, showing its sensitivity in detecting heart function changes.

## Contribution

The study emphasizes the novel use of LV GLS imaging as a sensitive tool for assessing and monitoring PPCM.

## Key findings

- LV GLS served as a sensitive indicator of myocardial dysfunction in varying severities of PPCM.
- Monitoring LV GLS changes helped evaluate treatment response in PPCM patients.
- Abnormal LV GLS values persisted in some patients despite recovery of ejection fraction.

## Abstract

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) poses diagnostic and management challenges, while left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) provides crucial insights into myocardial function. This case series explores the significance of LV GLS imaging in diagnosing and managing PPCM. Three distinct cases of varying severity highlight the significance of LV-GLS in assessing myocardial function during the peripartum period. Each case exhibited varying degrees of cardiac impairment, with LV GLS serving as a sensitive indicator of dysfunction. Treatment response, closely monitored through LV GLS changes, emphasizes the importance of this imaging technique in evaluating therapy efficacy. The discussion underscores deviations from traditional management approaches, emphasizing the need for personalized strategies in PPCM. Nonetheless, the study's limitations stress the need for broader research to validate these findings across diverse populations and settings, as well as long-term follow-up of the patients who had persistence of abnormal global longitudinal strain values despite recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction.