Assessment of Clinical and Echocardiographic Findings of Pregnant Women with Dyspnea

BACKGROUND In the present study we evaluated clinical and echocardiography findings of pregnant women with dyspnea. MATERIAL AND METHODS Pregnant women with and without dyspnea and admitted to the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic of a tertiary hospital between December 2017 and June 2018 were enrolled in this case-control study. All patients underwent echocardiography in the third trimester (≥27 weeks). Pregnant women who were older than 18 years, who had dyspnea, and who were in the third trimester of their pregnancy (≥27 weeks) were included in the study. RESULTS Left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) was 47.38±3.68 mm in the study group and 43,70±8,84 mm in the control group (P=0.041). On the other hand, left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVESd) was determined to be 30.86±3.90 mm in the study group and 34,45±6,56 mm in the control group (P=0.013). Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), calculated through tricuspid insufficiency and analyzed, was found to be 24.69±9.10 mmHg in the study group and 20.39±6.80 mmHg in the control group (p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS When echocardiography findings of pregnant women with dyspnea were analyzed, it was determined that their left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVESd), and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), calculated through tricuspid insufficiency, were higher than those of women in the control group, although they were within normal limit range. Therefore, we recommend that women with dyspnea should see a cardiologist and undergo an echocardiogram test so that the cardiac causes of dyspnea can be clinically revealed.