title: Frequency of magnetic resonance signal abnormalities of the brain in patients aged less than 50 years with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Twenty patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) aged less than 50 years (mean 41) and an age-matched group of 20 healthy volunteers were studied. All subjects were free of cerebrovascular symptoms and risk factors for stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, extracranial Doppler ultrasonography, heart catheterization and echocardiography were performed. In patients with IDC, a higher frequency of ventricular enlargement (p less than 0.02), cortical atrophy (p less than 0.01) and white matter lesions (p less than 0.05) was observed. Cerebral infarcts were found in 4 patients (p less than 0.05) who showed clinically severe limitation of functional capacity (New York Heart Association class III or IV). The extent of cortical atrophy, and the duration of clinical evidence of IDC showed a significant correlation (p less than 0.04). The data indicate a high incidence of parenchymal abnormalities of the brain in young, neurologically asymptomatic patients with IDC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dusleag
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eber
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brussee
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rotman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grisold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged