Recurrence of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with restored idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
BACKGROUND
In some patients with nonischemic idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), left ventricular (LV) dysfunction improves spontaneously but can recur. The factors predicting recurrence of LV dysfunction in recovered idiopathic DCM are poorly defined. We investigated the clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables affecting recurrence of LV dysfunction in patients who recovered from DCM.


OBJECTIVE
The recurrence of LV dysfunction in recovered idiopathic DCM is impacted by clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables.


METHODS
The study comprised 85 consecutively enrolled patients (62 males, age 57 ± 16 years) with DCM who achieved a restoration of LV systolic function. Patients were followed up for 50 ± 33 months after recovery from LV dysfunction without discontinuation of standard medication for heart failure with depressed ejection fraction. Clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables were analyzed to identify factors independently associated with recurrence of LV dysfunction.


RESULTS
LV dysfunction recurred in 33 patients (23 males, age 64 ± 12 years). Univariate analysis revealed that age, duration from initial presentation to recovery time, diabetes, and LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) at initial presentation were associated with recurrence of LV dysfunction. Multivariate analysis revealed that only age, diabetes, and LVEDD at initial presentation were independent predictors in patients who recovered from LV dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
The recurrence of LV dysfunction was significantly correlated with age, presence of diabetes, and LVEDD at initial presentation. Clinicians should consider maintenance of intensive care to patients who recovered from DCM with these factors.
Department of Cardiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
Jin-Sun
JS
Park
Jin-Woo
JW
Kim
Kyoung-Woo
KW
Seo
Byoung-Joo
BJ
Choi
So-Yeon
SY
Choi
Myeong-Ho
MH
Yoon
Gyo-Seung
GS
Hwang
Seung-Jea
SJ
Tahk
Joon-Han
JH
Shin
D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology