IMPROVED PROGNOSIS OF HEART-FAILURE DUE TO IDIOPATHIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY IN CHILDREN

We analyzed the outcome of 18 children with idiopathic dilated cardiom yopathy !IDC). There was a striking female preponderance (M:F= 1:3.5) and 15 (83%) presented below the age of 2 years. Follow up for a mean duration of 3.5 years revealed complete recovery in seven (43%) and an additional three (19%) became asymptomatic. Three (19%) died and anot her three (19%) continued to be symptomatic but in controlled heart fa ilure. Two were lost to follow up. Among those who improved, the major ity (75%) did so in 1.5 years. Three of five patients who received per iodic dobutamine infusion showed improvement in quality of life. The s urvivals of 94% at 1 year and 87% at 3 years are significantly better than those previously reported. This is the first such study of IDC in children from the Arab peninsula. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland L td.