title: Dilated cardiomyopathy: an unusual presentation of aortic coarctation in an infant.
abstract: Coarctation of the aorta commonly presents in infancy as congestive heart failure, or later in childhood as hypertension or as a heart murmur. However, we experienced a unique infant case of isolated coarctation presenting with acute decompensation of a dilated cardiomyopathy, which recovered completely 8 months postoperatively. Our report highlights the previously unreported presentation of coarctation in infancy as a dilated cardiomyopathy. It also implies that before we label any patient presenting with a dilated cardiomyopathy as an idiopathic cardiomyopathy, we must exclude all possible specific causes of myocardial dysfunction because many such specific cardiomyopathies are curable and very rewarding, just like our patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mao-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jaw-Ji
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Yu-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male