Dilated cardiomyopathy

Case contributed by Karen Machang'a
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Lower limb swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain, and lethargy.

Patient Data

Age: 40 years
Gender: Male
ultrasound

Left ventricle:

  • dilated cavity: end-diastolic left ventricular diameter: ~6.3 cm

  • no thrombus

  • normal left ventricular wall thickness.

  • impaired systolic function LVEF: ~14%,

  • global left ventricular wall hypokinesia

  • diastolic dysfunction (grade 2): pseudo normal relaxation pattern with elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (LVEDP) average E/e': 25.1

Right ventricle:

  • dilated, basal diameter:~ 4.9cm with impaired systolic function

  • TAPSE: 1.49 cm

  • tissue Doppler imaging systolic velocity (TDI S'): 9.08cm/s

Interventricular septum: intact

Atria:

  • left atrium: dilated, area: 26.9 cm2, LAVI: 43.2 mL/m2

  • right atrium: dilated, area: 29.4 cm2

Aortic valve:

  • normal tricuspid

  • no aortic regurgitation

Mitral valve:

  • moderate mitral regurgitation

Tricuspid valve:

  • severe eccentric tricuspid regurgitation

Additional findings:

  • mildly elevated pulmonary pressures (estimated sPAP ~45 mmHg)

  • dilated IVC with < 50% inspirational collapse, dilated hepatic veins

  • mild pelvic ascites noted (not shown)

Case Discussion

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) refers to left ventricular dilatation with systolic dysfunction, not sufficiently explained by abnormal loading conditions or coronary artery disease (CAD) 1. Mitral regurgitation in this case is secondary to the DCM.

DCM is caused by both genetic and nongenetic factors, including inflammatory and infectious causes, toxins, storage diseases, endocrinopathies, and tachyarrhythmias 1-3.

Multiple imaging modalities can be used to determine LV measures to diagnose DCM 1-3. Both M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography are frequently used to estimate the internal dimensions of the left ventricle in systole and diastole.

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