What is it about?
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a main cause of heart failure in children and may lead to heart transplantation. We reviewed all cases of dilated cardiomyopathy in children in western Sweden over a 25 year period.
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Why is it important?
Knowing the outcome of the disease and how it differs over time and between different regions is important when choosing treatment for newly diagnosed patients. Tracking outcome over time is helpful when evaluation effects of different therapies like medication or mechanical circulatory support.
Perspectives
Unlike heart failure in the adult population, advances in medical therapy of dilated cardiomyopathy has not improved outcome in children. Improved mortality over time is more related to heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. On the over hand, some pediatric patients improve spontaneously, which makes selection for transplantation more delicate.
Håkan Wåhlander
Vastra Gotalandsregion
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The highest mortality rates in childhood dilated cardiomyopathy occur during the first year after diagnosis, Acta Paediatrica, December 2017, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/apa.14183.
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