Genetics of neonatal cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathies, primary disorders of the myocardium, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults, and these disorders are responsible for a significant percentage of sudden cardiac deaths and cardi ac transplants. Neonatal cardiomyopathies commonly are associated with poor prognosis, and the underlying etiology of this disorder differs considerab ly from cardiomyopathies in older children, adolescents. and adults with si milar phenotypes, In this review, the major causes of neonatal cardiomyopat hy are described. Curr Opin Cardiol 1999, 14:250-262 (C) 1999 Lippincott Wi lliams & Wilkins, Inc.