Frequency of echocardiographic complications of dilated cardiomyopathy at a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND Dilated cardiomyopathy can lead to a variety of complications recognisable on clinical, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and radiographic assessment. Among this, transthoracic echocardiography has the dual advantage of being helpful in making the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy as well as an effective tool in early recognition of certain complications for timely management to improve the quality of life of these patients. METHODS This descriptive (case series) study was undertaken at Departments of Medicine, Cardiology, Paediatrics and Obs/Gyn, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from July to December, 2008. Fifty patients of dilated cardiomyopathy without age and gender discrimination were selected by convenience sampling. Those with hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathies, valvular and congenital heart disease, hypertension and ischemic heart disease were excluded. RESULTS Mean age was 47.12 +/- 17.9 year with male predominance (males=34, females=16). Mean ejection fraction was 30.6 +/- 6.9%. Complications revealed on echocardiography were intracardiac thrombi (5, 10%), spontaneous echo contrast (5, 10%), pericardial effusion (6, 12%), mitral regurgitation (46, 92%), tricuspid (25, 50%), aortic (5, 10%), pulmonary (2, 4%) multi-valvular regurgitation (28, 56%), and left atrial dilatation (36, 72%). CONCLUSION LV systolic dysfunction, cardiac thrombi, spontaneous echo contrast, mitral and tricuspid regurgitation and left atrial enlargement are important complications of dilated cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography is important tool towards identification of these complications.