Endomyocardial biopsy in patients with unexplained congestive heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of myocarditis proved by biopsy findings in patients presenting with unexplained congestive heart failure.


METHODS
Retrospective review.


METHODS
General medical services of a Veterans Administration and university hospital.


METHODS
Ninety consecutive patients presenting with unexplained congestive heart failure who had endomyocardial biopsy as a part of their diagnostic evaluation.


RESULTS
Classification of biopsy findings according to a recently proposed scheme for histologic diagnosis of myocarditis (Dallas criteria) showed myocarditis in only 4 of 90 (4.4%) patients (95% CI, 0.2 to 8.6), although two thirds of the patients had symptoms of congestive heart failure for less than 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of myocarditis proved by endomyocardial biopsy findings is low in patients presenting with unexplained congestive heart failure and raises questions concerning the need for this procedure in this patient group.
University of California, San Diego, Medical Center.
L C
LC
Chow
H C
HC
Dittrich
R
R
Shabetai
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*