Relationship between cardiac magnetic resonance imaging parameters and pregnancy outcomes in women post mustard repair: a multi-center study

Abstract

Background Summary: To examine the relationship between cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) parameters and pregnancy outcomes post Mustard palliation. Background: Impaired systemic ventricular function and presence of a systemic right ventricle (RV) are associated with adverse events in pregnancy. Women with transposition of the great arteries post atrial switch (Mustard procedure) are at risk of worsening arrhythmia and heart failure antenatally. Contemporary guidelines suggest that women with “more moderate systemic RV dysfunction” should be advised against pregnancy; however a threshold RV ejection fraction (EF) has not been defined as all studies to date have examined RV function using echocardiography alone. The CMR characteristics of women post Mustard palliation undergoing pregnancy and the relationship between CMR parameters and pregnancy outcomes have not yet been described. Methods A total of 17 consecutive women post Mustard procedure seen at 2 tertiary care centers who had undergone CMR within 2 years of pregnancy were included. Parameters of ventricular function were assessed by a single experienced reader using steady-state free-precession cine CMR acquired in the short-axis orientation. Adverse cardiovascular events (sustained arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke, cardiac arrest and/or urgent cardiac intervention), obstetric complications (eclampsia, pre-term labour, hemorrhage) and fetal/neonatal events (stillbirth/death, prematurity, low birthweight, intensive care unit admission) were recorded. Results