title: [Non compaction cardiomyopathy: a series of 15 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non compaction cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder caused by the arrest of myocardial compaction during embryogenesis, leading to a non compacted endocardial layer with marked hypertrabeculation and deep recesses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of a series of 15 adult patients with non-compaction cardiomyopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included a total of 15 patients aged 52 ± 17 years (40% males) diagnosed at our echocardiography laboratory between January 2001 and July 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The form of presentation was heart failure in 53% of subjects, syncope in 20%o, ventricular arrhythmias in 13%o and stroke in 7%>. Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was 66 ± 11 mm and estimated ejection fraction was 27 ± 10%>. Apical and/or mid-ventricular segments of the left ventricle were involved in all the cases. Pulmonary hypertension was present in 40%o. The average follow-up was 19 months and no patient died during this period. Sixty seven percent of the patients had manifestations of heart failure, 27%o presented sustained ventricular arrhythmias and 20%> had atrial fibrillation or flutter, whereas 13%o had cerebral embolic events. An automated internal cardioverter defibrillator was implanted in 47%o of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-compaction cardiomyopathy is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity. The diagnosis is made in advanced stages of the disease, with significant dilation and ventricular dysfunction.
authors: Departamento de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Enríquez R
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Baeza V
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Gabrielli N
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Córdova A
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Castro G
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D056830:Isolated Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult