Dilated cardiomyopathy as the first early complication in a 14 year-old girl with diabetes mellitus type 1.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) has been reported in type 2 diabetics with short duration of clinically overt diabetes. Impaired left ventricular function has been reported in young patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (IDDM), but severe cardiomyopathy as the first early major complication of IDDM is very rare. We report a 14 year-old girl with a 5-year history of IDDM and very poor compliance with treatment and follow-up. She was referred to our clinic upon the development of congestive heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy was diagnosed based on clinical findings, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and echocardiography. She had no evidence of other major complications of IDDM such as retinopathy, nephropathy or neuropathy.