Clinical heart failure during pregnancy and delivery in a cohort of female childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines

Elvira C. van Dalen, Helena J. H. van der Pal, Cor van den Bos, Wouter E. M. Kok, Huib N. Caron, Leontien C. M. Kremer

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Abstract

The cumulative incidence of peripartum anthracycline-induced clinical heart failure (A-CHF) was evaluated in a cohort of 53 childhood cancer survivors who had delivered one or more children. None of them developed peripartum A-CHF (cumulative incidence 0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0-5.7%). The mean follow-up time after the first administration of anthracycline therapy was 20.3 years. They received a mean cumulative anthracycline dose of 267 mg/m2. It is worth noticing that even 2 patients with A-CHF before pregnancy did not develop peripartum A-CHF. Since there were no cases of peripartum A-CHF in our cohort, it was not possible to evaluate associated risk factors. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a low risk of developing peripartum A-CHF in childhood cancer survivors. However, more cohort studies with adequate power and long-term follow-up are needed to reliably evaluate the cumulative incidence of peripartum anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (both clinical and asymptomatic) and associated risk factors
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2549-2553
JournalEuropean journal of cancer (Oxford, England
Volume42
Issue number15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006

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