A broken heart? Unexplained cardiac ischaemia after intrauterine fetal death

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK [1].We present the case of awoman with late intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) and intrapartum cardiac ischaemia. A family history of limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) may be relevant. Case Report A 23-year-old nulliparous woman at 39 weeks of gestation presented with reduced fetal movements and IUFD was confirmed. She had no medical history, and despite two first degree relatives with LGMD, she was asymptomatic and had not been tested. Uterine contractions started and epidural analgesia was initiated. Shortly thereafter, the woman was found to be bradycardic at 35– 40 beats/min. All other observations were normal and she was asymptomatic with no detectable sensory or motor block. A 12 -lead ECG showed inferior T-wave inversion and serial troponins were markedly elevated. Caesarean section (CS) under general anaesthesia was performed at maternal request and was uneventful. Postpartum echocardiogram demonstrated a dilated left atrium, left ventricular akinesis and an ejection fraction of 45–50%. The next day the woman developed chest pain and desaturated. CTPA and CT coronary angiogram were normal. Oxygenation improved and other than sporadic chest heaviness she remained well and was discharged 4 days post CS. Cardiology follow-up did not occur due to a communication breakdown. Post-mortem of the fetus found no cause for the IUFD and no features of LGMD. Thewoman suffered a miscarriage four months after this but delivered a healthy baby at elective CS two years later. During the latter pregnancy cardiology input from a tertiary centrewas requested but did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An echocardiogram in the third trimester was normal and the woman has been well since. Discussion: Troponin rise is abnormal in pregnancy and requires investigation. IUFD in itself can lead to sequelae requiring a low threshold for investigation. The family history in this case is autosomal dominant type 1B LGMD, associated with cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias [2]. The woman has declined testing and the cause for the peripartum cardiac disease remains unknown. The recovery and recent uneventful pregnancy suggest Takotsubo’s cardiomyopathy or coronary vasospasm as additional possible diagnoses. This case also underlines the importance in sensitive communication in cases of IUFD to ensure women are investigated and not lost to follow-up.