BACKGROUND Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) and X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy often result from deletion mutations in the dystrophin gene that may lead to expression of an altered dystrophin protein in cardiac muscle. Cardiac involvement is present in approximately 70% of BMD and all X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy cases. To date, the timing of cardiomyopathy development remains unpredictable....

Stem cell therapy for heart failure is a rapidly progressing field. The objective of this study was to assess the safety, and short-term results of thoracoscopic direct injection of angiogenic cell precursors into patients with endstage cardiomyopathy. Cells were obtained from the patient's own blood, avoiding immunological concerns. The number of cells prior to injection was 29.1 +/- 18.9 x10(...

Chagas disease-associated cardiomyopathy is clinically similar to other causes of cardiomyopathy and, therefore, the diagnosis can be easily overlooked. We found a 13% point prevalence of Chagas disease in a sample of New York City immigrants with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies are a group of diseases characterized by the structural and functional abnormalities heart muscles in absence other illnesses that might be responsible for observed myocardial anomaly. Hypertrophic dilated cardiomyopathies most prevalent types. Rare types include restrictive cardiomyopathy with arrhythmia. Dilated has documented prevalence 36 cases per 100,000 population Europe...

BACKGROUND Left ventricular enlargement with normal systolic function is common in asymptomatic relatives of patients with familial dilated cardiomyopathy, many of whom progress to overt dilated cardiomyopathy at follow up. OBJECTIVE To examine maximal and submaximal gas exchange variables of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in asymptomatic relatives with left ventricular enlargement. DESIG...

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is accompanied by myocytes and connective tissue changes. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in cardiac remodeling. It seems that the gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are effective enzymes in cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy was confirmed in 22 dogs (patient group) including 11 female and 11 male by clinical examination, auscultation, thoracic ...

background: differences in the quantity and distribution of coronary veins between patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy might affect the potential for the left ventricular (lv) lead targeting in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (crt). in the current study, we assessed and compared the suitability of the coronary venous system for the lv lead placement in i...

dilated cardiomyopathy (dcm) is accompanied by myocytes and connective tissue changes. matrix metalloproteinases (mmps) play important roles in cardiac remodeling. it seems that the gelatinases (mmp-2 and mmp-9) are effective enzymes in cardiomyopathy. dilated cardiomyopathy was confirmed in 22 dogs (patient group) including 11 female and 11 male by clinical examination, auscultation, thoracic ...

BACKGROUND Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by the basal hypercontractility and apical ballooning of the left ventriculum and T-wave inversion in the electrocardiogram. It has been suggested that Takotsubo cardiomyopathy might underlie the pathogenesis of persistent cardiac dysfunction; however, few reports are present demonstrating the advent of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients wi...

Echocardiography is a valuable tool for the evaluation of systolic and diastolic cardiac function. A high correlation between measurements of diastolic mitral inflow parameters analyzed with Doppler echocardiography and invasive methods makes the former valuable. The aim of this study was to ascertain if significant differences occur in diastolic myocardial parameters between dogs with no heart...