Improved patients and an increase in the ejection fraction > 5% were defined as improved (group 1). Zero to �� 5% change in the ejection fraction was considered as stationary (group 2). Clinical worsening and/or decline in the ejection fraction > 5% was classified as deteriorated (group selleck chemical 3). The time of death from the first presentation was noted. Some patients who had a follow-up of < 3 months (unless dead) were classified as lost to follow-up and were also excluded from study. Patients were followed for 34.7 �� 23.2 months. Ethical issues Ethical review committee of the hospital has approved this study I declare that I have no financial and/or personal relationship (s), which may have inappropriately influenced me in writing this paper. Data analysis The data were analyzed using SPSS version 10 (SPSS Inc.

, Chicago, IL, USA). Continuous data are expressed as median and range or mean �� standard deviation (SD) and categorical data as frequency percentages. Category variable differences were analyzed by Chi-square analysis. Differences in continuous variables by Student’s paired t-test analyses and bivariate correlation analysis (spearman rank) was applied to assess patients�� age at presentation and outcome. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was done. Probability values �� 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS Eighty three patients of IDCM were included out of 92 as nine patients did not have the required follow-up. Age at presentation ranged from 2 month to 12 years with a median of 14 months with high frequency of females 53 (63.9%).

Regarding history, 32 (39%) of patients had weight below the third percentile and 17 (20.5%) had family history of cardiac disease. Cardiomegaly (chest X-ray) was noted in 72 (86.7%) with increased lung vascularity in 45 (54%). Sixty-one (74%) patients had ST segment and T-wave changes on electrocardiogram while the same number had LVH, and 15 (18%) had arrhythmias. Patients mean follow-up was 34 �� 21 months [Table 1]. Table 1 Presenting clinical features, ECG and X-rays findings (N=83) On comparing the echocardiography data, i.e., on presentation and at most recent follow-up using paired t-test, we found significant difference in several areas, i.e., EDs, ESV, LVPs, FS, SV and EF [Table 2]. Table 2 Echocardiography measurements on presentation and last follow-up On the other hand, 40 (48.2%) improved, 23 (27.

7%) were remained stationary and 20 (24.1) deteriorated, and out of deteriorated cases nine died. Survival rate over three years was 78% [Figure 1]. Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier survival analysis in 83 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy Age at the time of first presentation was positively Cilengitide correlated with outcome, i.e., older the age worse was the outcome (Spearman’s rho = 0.3, P = 0.04). DISCUSSION Childhood DCM is a rare and debilitating disease of various etiologies with intense morbidity and mortality.