Cardiomyopathy in childhood : a10 year retrospective study

Abstract EN

The clinical profile and course of 44 children (mean age 5.5 years, range from 3 months to 13 years) with cardiomyopathy during a period of 10 years (1987 to 1997) were evaluated.

The frequency of different types of cardiomyopathies were as follow; idiopathic dilated 42 (95.5%) and hypertrophic 2(4.5%).

There was no case of restrictive cardiomyopathy.

All cases presented with congestive heart failure.

Cardiogenic shock and pulmonary edema were the two other frequent signs.

In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy absence of heart murmur on physical examination (71.4%), low voltage QRS complex in electrocardiography (33.3%), decreased ejection fraction and shortening fraction in echocardiography (100%) were frequent findings.

Ten patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and 2 with hypertrophic type died.

The overall mortality rate was 27%.

This study confirms that the outcome of children with cardiomyopathy still remains poor.