CardioNerds (Dr. Dan Ambinder and guest host, Dr. Pooja Prasad) join Dr. Donny Mattia from Phoenix Children’s pediatric cardiology fellowship, Dr. Sri Nayak from the Mayo Clinic – Arizona adult cardiology fellowship, and Dr. Harrison VanDolah from the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix Med/Peds program for a sunrise hike of Piestewa Peak, followed by some coffee at Berdena’s in Old Town Scottsdale (before the bachelorette parties arrive), then finally a stroll through the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens to discuss a thought-provoking case series full of clinical cardiology pearls. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Tabitha Moe. Episode audio was edited by Dan Ambinder.
They discuss the following case: Cardiology is consulted by the OB team for a 27-year-old female G1, now P1, who has just delivered a healthy baby boy at 34 weeks gestation after going into premature labor. She is experiencing shortness of breath and is found to have a significant past cardiac history, including atrial fibrillation and preexcitation, now with a pacemaker and intracardiac defibrillator. We review the differential diagnosis for peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and then combine findings from her infant son, who is seen by our pediatric cardiology colleagues and is found to have severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Genetic testing for both ultimately reveals a LAMP2 mutation consistent with Danon Disease. The case discussion focuses on the differential diagnosis for PPCM, HCM, pearls on Danon Disease and other HCM “phenocopies,” and the importance of good history.
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Case Media
Pearls
Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion – we must exclude other possible etiologies of heart failure!
Be on the lookout for features of non-sarcomeric HCM – as Dr. Michelle Kittleson said in Episode 166, “LVH plus” states. HCM with preexcitation, heart block, strong family history, or extracardiac symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, or cognitive impairment should be evaluated for infiltrative/inherited cardiomyopathies!
As an X-linked dominant disorder, Danon disease will present differently in males vs females, with males having much more severe and earlier onset disease with extracardiac features.
Making the diagnosis for genetic disorders such as Danon disease is important for getting the rest of family members tested as well as the opportunity for specialized treatments such as gene therapy
Up to 5% of Danon disease cases may be due to copy number variants, which may be missed in genetic testing that does not do targeted deletion/duplication analysis!).
Notes
What is the differential diagnosis for peripartum cardiomyopathy?
Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion – we must exclude other possible etiologies of heart failure!
First, ensure that you are not missing an acute life-threatening etiology of acute decompensated heart failure – pulmonary embolism, amniotic fluid embolism, ACS, and SCAD should all be ruled out.
Second, a careful history can identify underlying heart disease or risk factors for the development of heart failure, such as substance use, high-risk behaviors that put one at risk for HIV infection, and family history that suggests an inheritable cardiomyopathy.
Lastly, a careful review of echocardiographic imaging may also identify underlying etiologies that warrant a change in management.
Diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy is important to consider as within 7 days of onset, patients may be eligible for treatment with bromocriptine – consider referring ...