Prevention of left ventricular remodeling by long-term corticosteroid therapy in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.

Forty-three patients with cardiac sarcoidosis were studied echocardiographically before and after (mean follow-up 88 months) steroid therapy to determine the effectiveness of corticosteroids to prevent left ventricular (LV) remodeling and improve LV contractility. In patients with initial LV ejection fractions (LVEFs) >or=55%, long-term steroid therapy showed preventive effects for LV remodeling and LV function. Patients with LVEF <54% showed significant reductions of LV volumes and LVEF improvement.