RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Impact of pregnancy and risk factors for ventricular arrhythmias in women with tetralogy of Fallot JF Open Heart JO Open Heart FD British Cardiovascular Society SP e001400 DO 10.1136/openhrt-2020-001400 VO 8 IS 1 A1 Alessia Quattrone A1 Oyvind H Lie A1 Eirik Nestaas A1 Charlotte de Lange A1 Kirsti Try A1 Harald L Lindberg A1 Helge Skulstad A1 Gunnar Erikssen A1 Thor Edvardsen A1 Kristina Haugaa A1 Mette E Estensen YR 2021 UL http://openheart.bmj.com/content/8/1/e001400.abstract AB Objective Patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) have high survival rates 30 years after surgical repair. Many patients experience pregnancy; however, the effects of pregnancy on the long-term cardiovascular outcome are not well known. We investigated the association of pregnancy and cardiac function with occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) in women with TOF.Methods We recruited 80 women with repaired TOF from the national database. Holter monitoring or implanted devices detected VA, defined as non-sustained or sustained ventricular tachycardia or aborted cardiac arrest. All patients underwent echocardiography. Blood tests included NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide).Results 55 (69%) women had experienced pregnancy. Mean age was lower in nulliparous compared with those with children (30±9 vs 40±9, p<0.01).VA had occurred in 17 (21%) women. Prevalence of VA was higher in women who had experienced pregnancy (n=16, 94%) compared with nulliparous (n=1, 6%) (p=0.02), also when adjusted for age (OR 12.9 (95% CI 1.5 to 113.2), p=0.02).Right ventricular mechanical dispersion was more pronounced in patients with VA (50±8 ms vs 39±14 ms, p=0.01, age-adjusted OR 2.1 (95% CI 1.3 to 7.5), p=0.01). NT-proBNP was also a marker of VA (211 ng/L (127 to 836) vs 139 ng/L (30 to 465), p=0.007). NT-proBNP >321 ng/L (normal values <170 ng/L) detected women with VA (p=0.019), also independent of age (OR 7.2 (95% CI 1.7 to 30.1), p=0.007).Conclusion Pregnancy was associated with higher prevalence of VA among women with TOF. Right ventricular mechanical dispersion and NT-proBNP were age-independent markers of VA. These may have importance for pregnancy counselling and risk stratification.All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as online supplemental information. Researchers interested in the data, methods or analysis can contact the corresponding author for more information.