Treating children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (from the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry).

In 40% of children with symptomatic idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), medical therapy fails within 2 years of diagnosis. Strong evidence-based therapies are not available for these children, and how evidence-based therapies for adults with IDC should be applied to children is unclear. Using data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry, we compared practice patterns of initial therapies for children with IDC diagnosed from 1990 to 1995 (n = 350) and from 2000 to 2006 (n = 219).

Characteristics and outcomes of cardiomyopathy in children with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy: a comparative study from the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine in pediatric Duchenne (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) or other dilated cardiomyopathies (ODCM) whether outcomes differ by diagnosis.

Background: Children with dilated cardiomyopathy are treated as a single undifferentiated group.

Methods: This cohort study of 128 children with DMD, 15 with BMD, and 312 with ODCM uses outcome measures of left ventricular (LV) size and function, death, heart transplant, and death or transplant.