Improved prognosis of heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in children

We analyzed the outcome of 18 children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy !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 another three (19%) continued to be symptomatic but in controlled heart failure. Two were lost to follow up. Among those who improved, the majority (75%) did so in 1.5 years. Three of five patients who received periodic dobutamine infusion showed improvement in quality of life. The survivals 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 Ltd.