title: Dilated cardiomyopathy in childhood: problems of diagnosis and long-term follow-up.
abstract: Clinical profile and course of 13 infants and children (median age 2 years, range 2 months to 17 years) with dilated cardiomyopathy are presented. Endocardial fibroelastosis and myocarditis were excluded by transvascular endomyocardial biopsy. Elevated cardio-thoracic ratio (mean 0.67), depressed fractional shortening (mean 13%) and cardiac index (mean 2.52 l min-1 m-2) were the indicators of congestive heart failure. During a mean follow-up of 41 months (range 6 to 204 months) five patients died, four remained in a stable condition, four improved. The main complications were rhythm disturbances (23%) and thrombus formation (15%). We could not identify any predictors of survival.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology