title: Late recovery of ventricular function in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognosis for children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) is variable. Patients who fail to exhibit improvement in left ventricular (LV) function have a high 1-year mortality rate, whereas improvement in LV fractional shortening (LVFS) to >15% is associated with better survival. However, complete recovery of LV performance to normal has not been examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical features and echocardiograms of 63 children with IDC were reviewed. Sixteen patients (group 1) were identified who demonstrated progressive improvement in LVFS, ultimately recovering to within the normal range. They were compared with 47 patients (group 2) in whom LVFS remained depressed. Group 1 LVFS at first examination was 13.6% +/- 5.1%, z = -10.8 +/- 4.0, and improved to within the normal range (33.7% +/- 3.4%, z = -0.9 +/- 1. 4, P <.001). Group 2 initial LVFS was 13.6 +/- 2.3, z = -8.9 +/- 3.2 and did not change significantly (15.7% +/- 7.3%, z = -7.3 +/- 1.6). The LV was dilated at initial examination in all patients (z = 6.9 +/- 3.0). Recovery in group 1 was associated with a decrease in LV dimension to within the normal range (z = 1.3 +/- 1.6, P <.001), whereas the LV dimension in group 2 patients remained increased (z = 6.2 +/- 3.4). The mean follow-up time at which LV function was noted to be normal was 4.5 +/- 3.6 years (range 0.3 to 14 years). The total duration of follow-up was 6.5 +/- 5.2 years (range 1 to 16 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete recovery of LV function is possible in children with IDC. Recovery may occur within the first year after initial examination in some patients, but longer periods are needed in the majority of patients in whom LV function ultimately returned to normal.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, CA 90054-0070, USA.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left