الفهرس 
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Abstract
Cardiomyopathy (CMP) is defined by the World Health organization (WHO) as a disease of the myocardium associated with cardiac dysfunction (Richardson, et al 1996). An understanding of CMP is very important, as it is a common cause of heart failure in children and the most common indication for heart transplantation in children older than 1 year (Wilkinson, et al 2010), but data on CMP in Egypt are scarce as there is no national registry (Elmasry, et al 2011).
This is a Prospective hospital based study done in Sohag university hospital in period between 1st of March, 2014 to 31th of February, 2015 on children from birth to 12 years old who diagnosed as having definite CMP presented to cardiac outpatient clinic or inpatients of pediatric department and neonatal care unit during the period of the study. Those who have congenital, rheumatic, or other cardiac disease were excluded from the study.
We have studied incidence, frequency, clinical presentation, complications and available therapeutic modalities of 50 children with CMP in Sohag University Hospital, considering the type of CMP and etiology, with special consideration for the results of cardiac enzymes and L-Carnitine profile.
We found that CMP represents considerable percentage of children with cardiac disorders. DCMP is the most common type, usually presented with congestive heart failure, but some cases have atypical presentations, and the most common cause is myocarditis. L-Carnitine profile was normal in all cases, and its routine use needs to be revised. Most patients receive anti-failure treatment, and unlike other developed countries, surgical and mechanical replacement therapy are lacking. These findings are very important in the diagnosis; management and counseling of patients with CMPs.
Based on this study, we recommend firstly; informing pediatricians to raise their clinical suspicion to CMPs in children presented not only presented by congestive heart failure, but also those with arrhythmias, abdominal pain, and syncope, secondly, to do screening for other family members, thirdly, cardiac enzymes (CK-MB, Troponin I) have to be done in all newly diagnosed CMP cases, fourthly revision of the routine prescription of L-Carnitine to all cases with CMP, Fifthly, to repeat this study on a larger scale, longer period, and to include other diagnostic techniques as genetic testing.
CMP are an area of active research especially in the field of imaging and genetics and there are rapid developments. In future we may have better diagnostic and therapeutic options for this group of patients.