Introduction: Cardiomyopathy (CMP) is defined by the world health organization (WHO) amyocardium associated with a disease of the mucoardium associated with cardia dysfunction. An understanding of CMP is important as it is a common cause of heart failure in children, and the most common cause of heart transplatation in childern older than one year, but data on CMP in Egypt are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the numbers, risk factors, clinical presentations and complications of different types of cardiomypathies in Sohag University Hospital.
Methods: This cross sectional hosptial based study enrolled fifty childern with cardiomyopathy in the Pediatric Department, neonatal intensive care unit and Pediatric outpatient cardiac clinic in Sohag University Hospital from March 01, 2014 to Febraury 28, 2015.
Results: Cases with dilated cardiomyopathies (DCMP) 38 (76%), and those who had hypertrophic cardiomyopathies were 12 (24%). Dysnea was the most common presenting complaint in 71% of cases. In cases with DCMP, the mean EF was 33.8 and the mean FS was 17.11. While in cases with HCMP, the mean EF was 70.75, FS was 37. Fifty percent of cases were founnd to have moderate to severe PHT. serum CK-MB was elevated in 3 (6%) of cases, while serum Tropinin I was elevated in 2 (4%) of cases who were diagnosed as having myocarditis. Viral myocarditis was the most common identifiable etiological agent responsible for 14(37%) of cases with DCMP.
Conclusion: CMP repreents a considerable percentage of children with cardiac disorders. DCMP is the most common, usually presented with congestive heart failure, and the most common cause is myocarditis. L-carnitine profile is normal in all cases despite its routine use. Pediatricians need to raise their clinical suspicion to CMPs as atypical are not uncommon. To do screening for other family members, cardiac enzymes (CK-MB, Tropinin I) have to be done all newly diagnosed CMP cases, along with a revision of a routine prescription of L- carnitine