Prognostic value of pharmacologic stress echocardiography in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: a prospective, head-to-head comparison between dipyridamole and dobutamine test

BackgroundInotropic reserve identified by dobutamine or dipyridamole stress echocardiography is associated with a better outcome in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), although the relative prognostic value of each remains unsettled. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relative prognostic value of dobutamine versus dipyridamole stress echocardiography for the prediction of all-cause death in patients with idiopathic DCM.Methods and ResultsEighty-seven patients (63 were male, aged 54 ± 12 years) with DCM and an ejection fraction less than 35% underwent both dipyridamole and dobutamine stress echocardiography on different days and in a random order. In all patients, wall motion score index and ejection fraction were evaluated at baseline and peak stress. All patients were followed up for an average of 52 months. All-cause death was identified as the prognostic end point. During the follow-up, 26 all-cause deaths occurred (29.8%). On multivariate analysis, either dobutamine echocardiography (relative risk 0.299; P = .02; 95% confidence interval 0.084–0.835) or dipyridamole echocardiography (relative risk 0.161; P < .00; 95% confidence interval 0.07–0.394) added significantly to a prognostic model based on clinical and resting echocardiographic variables. Survival was 83% in patients with dobutamine and 84% in patients with dipyridamole-induced contractile reserve.ConclusionsDobutamine and dipyridamole stress echocardiography have similar feasibility and prognostic accuracy in DCM risk stratification.     

Shock occurrence and survival in 49 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

To determine shock occurrence and survival, 49 patients withidiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy presenting with cardiac arrest(82%), syncope (12%) or ventricular tachycardia without syncope(6%) were followed for 28 ±28 months after cardioverter-defibrillator(ICD) implant according to the intention to treat principle.Using the Kaplan-Meier method, the actuarial incidence for anyspontaneous shocks was 20%, 58%, and 77%, and the incidenceof appropriate shocks was 16%, 49%, and 72% at 1, 3, and 5 yearsof follow-up, respectively. Only two of 49 study patients (4%)with an active ICD died suddenly during follow-up. Another twopatients, however, with an inactive device died suddenly, resultingin a sudden death rate of 2% per year with an active ICD, and5% per year, according to the intention to treat principle.The incidence of cardiac death from any cause was 8%, 25%, and35%, and the incidence of total mortality was 14%, 39%, and49% during 1, 3, and 5 years of follow-up, respectively. Therewas no difference in the Kaplan-Meier survival curves for shockedvs non-shocked patients. Thus, in this selected patient populationwith idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy the majority of patientsreceived ‘appropriate’ shocks during follow-up,and the sudden death rate with active ICD is low.     

Prevalence of myocarditis and cardiotropic virus infection in Africans with HIV-associated cardiomyopathy,idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and heart transplant recipients: a pilot study

Background:

The prevalence of myocarditis and cardiotropic viral infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated cardiomyopathy is unknown in Africa.

Methods

Between April 2002 and December 2007, we compared the prevalence of myocarditis and cardiotropic viral genomes in HIV-associated cardiomyopathy cases with HIV-negative idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy patients (i.e. negative controls for immunodeficiency) and heart transplant recipients (i.e. positive controls for immunodeficiency) who were seen at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Myocarditis was sought on endomyocardial biopsy using the imunohistological criteria of the World Heart Federation in 33 patients, 14 of whom had HIV-associated cardiomyopathy, eight with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and 11 heart transplant recipients.

Results

Myocarditis was present in 44% of HIV-associated cardiomyopathy cases, 36% of heart transplant recipients, and 25% of participants with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. While myocarditis was acute in 50% of HIV- and heart transplant-associated myocarditis, it was chronic in all those with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiotropic viral infection was present in all HIV-associated cardiomyopathy and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy cases, and in 90% of heart transplant recipients. Multiple viruses were identified in the majority of cases, with HIV-associated cardiomyopathy, heart transplant recipients and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy patients having an average of 2.5, 2.2 and 1.1 viruses per individual, respectively.

Conclusions

Acute myocarditis was present in 21% of cases of HIV-associated cardiomyopathy, compared to none of those with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Infection with multiple cardiotropic viruses may be ubiquitous in Africans, with a greater burden of infection in acquired immunodeficiency states.     

扩张型心肌病心衰与低钠血症的关系探讨

目的　探讨低钠血症与扩张型心肌病心衰之间存在的内在联系及其对预后的影响。方法　选取扩张型心肌病合并心衰患者 68例 ,分别测定血电解质 (钾、钠、氯 )、血糖、肾功能及计算血浆渗透压。比较正常血钠组和低血钠组的死亡率 ,同时比较低血钠组中不同心功能级别血钠值和死亡率的差异。结果　 68例中正常血钠 2 0例 (占2 9.4 % ) ,低血钠 4 8例 ( 70 .6% ) ,低血钠组死亡率明显高于正常血钠组 ( P<0 .0 5 ) ;低血钠组中 ,心功能 级组血钠值明显低于心功能 、 级组 ( P<0 .0 1 ) ,且死亡率明显增高 ( P<0 .0 5 )。结论　扩张型心肌病合并心衰患者 ,低钠血症发生率较高 ,一旦发生低钠血症、低渗性脑病 ,死亡率明显增高     

扩张型心肌病,高血压性心脏病心功能不全患者Q—Td,Q—Tcd观察

为评价心功能不全患者Q-T_d、Q-T_d的临床应用价值,观察扩张型心肌病心功能不全患者(n=19)和高血压性心脏病心功能不全患者(n=20)Q-T、Q-T_c,并与健康成人(n=30)作对比。结果显示扩张型心肌病组与高血压性心脏病组Q-T_d无显著性差异(P>0.05),Q-T_(cd)有显著性差异(P<0.05),但均显著高于对照组(P<0.01),认为Q-T_(cd)比Q-T_d更能准确反映心肌复极离散程度。扩张型心肌病心功能不全患者Q-T_d、Q-T_(cd)增加最显著可能与其预后不良有关。     

The prognostic use of serum concentrations of cardiac troponin-I,CK-MB and myoglobin in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective

To examine the association between survival and serum concentrations of cTnI, CK-MB, and myoglobin in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC).

Background

It has been suggested that elevated circulating biomarkers of myocardial damage such as cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and myoglobin are independent risk factors for mortality in patients with heart failure, and recent studies, although limited, showed that there was a potential association between cTnI and the prognosis of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods

A cohort study was undertaken in 310 patients with IDC. Standard demographic information, transthoracic echocardiography, and routine blood tests were obtained shortly after hospital admission. Outcome was assessed with all-cause mortality.

Results

Among the 310 patients studied, 61 (19.7%) died during a mean follow-up of 2.2 years. There was a significant difference in the all-cause mortality rate between patients with serum cTnI >0.05 ng/mL and with cTnI ≤0.05 ng/mL (37.5% vs 15%, log-rank χ² = 18.423, P < 0.001). After adjustment for other factors associated with prognosis at baseline, serum cTnI >0.05 ng/mL, QRS duration, NYHA functional class and systolic blood pressure predicted all-cause mortality in patients with IDC. There was no association between circulating CK-MB and myoglobin levels and all-cause mortality in the studied IDC patients.

Conclusion

Serum concentrations of cTnI but not CK-MB or myoglobin are an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with IDC.     

扩张型心肌病患儿心率变异改变及其与心脏大小和功能的关系

目的探讨扩张型心肌病（DCM）患儿心率变异（HRV）改变及其与心脏大小和收缩舒张功能的相关性。方法对30例DCM患儿（DCM组）和30例健康儿童（对照组）行24h动态心电图检查,并记录HRV指标（SDNN、SDANN、SDNN index、RMSSD、PNN50、TP、LF、HF、LF／HF）;同时行超声心动图检查,测量左室舒张末期内径（LVED）、左房舒张末期内径（LAED）、左心室射血分数（LVEF）、短轴缩短率（LVFS）和二尖瓣E／A峰比值,并分析这两类指标之间的相关性。结果DCM组HRV指标除LF／HF较对照组升高外,其余均较对照组明显降低;SDNN与LAED、LVEF、LVFS和E／A呈中度相关,其余指标与心脏大小和收缩舒张功能无明显的相关性。结论DCM患儿存在明显的自主神经平衡失调,主要表现为迷走神经张力减退,交感神经的相对激活;HRV与心脏大小和收缩舒张功能指标相对独立,其作为一无创性检测指标,可从一个侧面反映DCM患儿的预后,将它们结合起来能更好地指导临床。     

Clinico-pathological evaluation of restrictive cardiomyopathy (endomyocardial fibrosis and idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy) in India

BACKGROUND: Restrictive heart disease is characterized by impairment of ventricular filling during diastole with preserved systolic function. The clinical and histopathological profile on endomyocardial biopsy of a cohort of patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is presented. METHODOLOGY: The medical records of patients presenting with heart failure with systemic congestion, subsequently diagnosed as restrictive heart disease after evaluation including cardiac catheterisation, were studied retrospectively to determine the clinical spectrum of restrictive cardiomyopathy. The diagnosis of RCM was made, based on systemic congestion with dilated atria and near normal ventricular size and function. Only patients who had an endomyocardial biopsy were included in the study. Patients with chronic constrictive pericarditis and secondary restrictive heart disease mainly amyloidosis were excluded from the study. RESULTS: All 52 patients had heart failure with normal or near normal left ventricular size and function. Based on right and left ventricle angiography, patients were classified into two groups. Group I with findings suggestive of EMF (n=30) and Group II no evidence of EMF on angiography i.e. 'idiopathic RCM' (IRCM) (n=22). Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. Echocardiography revealed typical features of endomyocardial fibrosis in Group I patients, with apical obliteration of right and left ventricular apices. Group II patients had no apex obliteration (except in four patients, who were misclassified and in whom angiography did not show apex obliteration). The Group II patients had features of IRCM in the form of normal left and right ventricular size and function with restrictive features of doppler filling along with dilated left and right atria. Angiocardiography in EMF patients showed isolated RV involvement in only two patients. In the remaining 28 patients, the obliterative changes were biventricular with RV involvement more severe than LV involvement. Angiographic findings in Group II (IRCM) patients were unremarkable with preservation of normal trabecular pattern and absence of obliterative changes. Mild atrioventricular regurgitation was present in 10/22 patients. Histopathological examination revealed that endocardial thickening was more common (77% vs. 23%) in EMF patients. The presence of myocyte hypertrophy (70-80%), myocytolysis (40-50%) and interstitial fibrosis (46-56%) were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of our patients had biventricular EMF. A significant number of patients had clinical hemodynamic features of restrictive heart disease but no evidence of EMF on angiography. These IRCM patients had similar clinical profiles to EMF but on endomyocardial biopsy the endocardial thickening was minimal and seen in few patients (5/22).     

Changes in myocardial cytoskeletal intermediate filaments and myocyte contractile dysfunction in dilated cardiomyopathy: an in vivo study in humans

AIM—To investigate in vivo the intermediate cytoskeletal filaments desmin and vimentin in myocardial tissues from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and to determine whether alterations in these proteins are associated with impaired contractility.
METHODS—Endomyocardial biopsies were performed in 12 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and in 12 controls (six women with breast cancer before anthracycline chemotherapy and six male donors for heart transplantation). Biopsy specimens were analysed by light microscopy and immunochemistry (desmin, vimentin). Myocyte contractile protein function was evaluated by the actin-myosin in vitro motility assay. Left ventricular ejection fraction was assessed by echocardiography and radionuclide ventriculography.
RESULTS—Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy had a greater cardiomyocyte diameter than controls (p < 0.01). The increase in cell size was associated with a reduction in contractile function, as assessed by actin-myosin motility (r = −0.643; p < 0.01). Quantitative immunochemistry showed increased desmin and vimentin contents (p < 0.01), and the desmin distribution was disturbed in cardiomyopathy. There was a linear relation between desmin distribution and actin-myosin sliding in vitro (r = 0.853; p < 0.01) and an inverse correlation between desmin content and ejection fraction (r = −0.773; p < 0.02). Negative correlations were also found between myocardial vimentin content and the actin-myosin sliding rate (r = −0.74; p < 0.02) and left ventricular ejection fraction (r = −0.68; p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS—Compared with normal individuals, the myocardial tissue of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy shows alterations of cytoskeletal intermediate filament distribution and content associated with reduced myocyte contraction.


Keywords: dilated cardiomyopathy; desmin; vimentin; cardiac biopsy; actin-myosin     

Role of programmed ventricular stimulation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and documented sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias: inducibility and prognostic value in 102 patients

The role of programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) in patientsat high risk of sudden death related to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) is still controversial The possible reason is that moststudy series have been too small or that only a few patientshad documented sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias. This study therefore, looked at PVS performed in 102 patientswith DCM and documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT;n=63) or ventricular fibrillation (VF; n=39). Sustained VT wasinduced in 27 of 63 patients (43%) with documented sustainedVT and in 14 of 39 patients (36%) with documented VF (ns). VFwas induced in nine patients (14%) with a history of sustainedVT and in seven (18%) with a history of VF (ns). At a mean follow-upof 32±15 months, sudden death occurred in 14 (14%) patients,a rate similar in both patients with documented VT and VF (ns).Incidence of sudden death at 36 months was 6% in patients withinducible sustained VT/VF compared to 29% in patients withoutinducible VT/VF (P<0·05) A favourable drug regimen(response to drug and no intolerable side effects) was obtainedby serial drug testing in 25 of all 102 patients (25%). A cardioverterdefibrillator (ICD) was implanted in 32 patients, in 63% ofwhom discharges were observed during 18±11 months offollow-up; only one patient (3%) died suddenly. Thus, in patients with DCM, there was no relationship betweendocumented and inducible ventricular tachzyarrhythmias, andinitiation of sustained VT or VF had little prognostic valuefor the prediction of subsequent sudden death. Wherever antiarrhythmic drug therapy was of limited value, implantationof an ICD may improve the prognosis of these high risk patients.     

肌钙蛋白和C-反应蛋白在缺血性心肌病与扩张型心肌病中的变化

目的探讨肌钙蛋白（cTn-I）和超敏G反应蛋白（hs-CRP）在缺血性心肌病与扩张型心肌病患者中的变化。方法101例心肌病患者行冠脉造影检查，分为缺血性心肌病组（ICM组，53例）和扩张型心肌病组（DCM组，48例）。测定患者在不同NYHA分级时血清cTn-I和hs-CRP浓度。结果ICM患者平均血清hs-CRP浓度高于DCM患者，分别为（4．13±1107）和（2．64±1．19）mg／L；在相同NYHA时，ICM患者的血清hs-CRP浓度明显高于DCM患者（P〈0．01）。ICM患者血清平均cTn-I浓度与DCM患者相似，分别为（0．31±0．27）和（0．34±0．33）μg／L；ICM和DCM患者血清cTn-I浓度在相同NYHA时比较无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。无论是ICM患者还是DCM患者，血清hs-CRP和cTn-I浓度均随心衰程度加重而增高，NYHA Ⅲ和Ⅳ级患者血清hs-CRP和cTn-I浓度明显高于NYHA Ⅰ和Ⅱ级患者（P〈0．01）。结论ICM患者和DCM患者血清hs-CRP和cTn-I浓度随心衰程度加重而增高。ICM患者血清hs-CRP浓度明显高于DCM患者，而两组cTn-I浓度比较无显著性差异。心衰患者cTn-I升高非冠状动脉缺血所致，而与心衰本身有关。     

Antigens of the major histocompatibility system in ischemic heart disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Although dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of unknown and probably multifactorial etiology, a change in immune mechanisms is presumably significant, with many abnormalities in humoral and cellular responses having been reported. The heart thus becomes the target organ for an initial episode of myocardial damage that triggers an autoimmune response. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to analyze the frequency of different human leukocyte antigens in patients with a diagnosis of well-advanced DCM and ischemic heart failure, comparing them with a control group of presumably healthy subjects. METHODS: The group with dilated cardiomyopathy consisted of 50 patients (7 women and 43 men), aged from 14 to 64 years. The group with ischemic heart disease included 76 patients (4 women and 72 men), with ages ranging from 34 to 64. The control group, consisting of 1,337 presumably healthy subjects from the Spanish Mediterranean area, was recruited based on paternity studies. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, we found in DCM a greater incidence of B15 (20 vs. 6%) and DQ3 (83 vs. 50%) antigens. In ischemic heart disease we found a lower incidence of A1 (3 vs. 22%), B8 (5 vs. 12%), and DQ2 (16 vs. 50%) in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In the Spanish Mediterranean area, the presence of antigens B-15 and DQ3 would be associated with advanced DCM. The absence of antigens A1, B8, and DQ2 would be associated with the occurrence of severe ischemic heart disease.     

扩张型心肌病患者外周血CD4＋CD25＋T细胞变化及临床意义

目的探讨扩张型心肌病（DCM）患者外周血CD4＋CD2＋5T细胞变化及临床意义。方法采用流式细胞分析法检测30例DCM患者（DCM组）及20例健康者（对照组）的外周血CD4＋CD2＋5T细胞。结果外周血CD4＋CD2＋5T细胞占CD4＋T细胞的比例DCM组为（8.53±1.64）%,对照组为（11.4±2.17）%,两组比较有统计学差异（P〈0.01）;且DCM患者心功能越差,CD4＋CD2＋5T细胞占CD4＋T细胞的比例越低。结论DCM患者CD4＋CD2＋5T细胞比例减少,可能打破自身免疫耐受,发生针对心肌抗原的免疫反应,参与DCM发病。     

扩张型心肌病心力衰竭患者心肾功能相互关系的研究

目的:探讨扩张型心肌病心力衰竭(心衰)患者临床症状、心功能与肾功能的相互关系及其机制。方法:将入选的101例受试者分为心衰组(61例)和对照组(40例),予基本问卷调查、体检、生化及超声心动图等检查。结果:①心衰组心率、血肌酐(SCr)、尿素氮(BUN)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)、左房内径(LAD)及血尿酸(UA)均高于对照组,左室射血分数(LVEF)和肾小球滤过率(eGFR)低于正常对照组(P<0.05)。②心衰组合并肾功能异常者的比例较对照组高(P<0.05);心衰组心功能Ⅳ级者较Ⅱ级、Ⅲ级者更易合并肾功能异常(P<0.05,P<0.01)。③Pearson相关分析:心衰组UA与SCr、BUN、LVEDD、LAD,BUN与SCr、LVEDD、LAD,SCr与LVEDD、LAD呈正相关(P<0.05);而BUN与舒张压、LVEF,eGFR与年龄、SCr、BUN、LAD呈负相关(P<0.05);偏相关分析:分别调整心衰组年龄、性别等因素后,UA与LVEDD(r=0.4542,P=0.004),LAD(r=0.4600,P=0.004),BUN与LVEF(r=-0.3644,P=0.023)及SCr与LA...     

Programmed ventricular stimulation in coronary artery disease and dilated cardiomyopathy: influence of the underlying heart disease on the results of electrophysiologic testing

In order to evaluate the clinical and prognostic significance of programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS), 100 patients were investigated. Twenty-four of 51 patients with coronary artery disease and 22 out of 49 with dilated cardiomyopathy had clinical ventricular tachycardia (VT). The study protocol included 24-h Holter ECG, cardiac catheterization and angiography, and PVS employing 1 and 2 premature extrastimuli and incremental pacing. In patients with coronary artery disease, VT was induced in 67% with prior VT and in 18% without such episodes (p less than 0.01). In dilated cardiomyopathy, however, patients with and without clinical VT did not differ with regard to VT inducibility (18% vs. 15%, NS). The inducibility of monomorphic sustained VT--most frequently induced in VT patients--was significantly higher in patients with coronary artery disease (p less than 0.05). Polymorphic nonsustained VT (in both coronary artery disease and dilated cardiomyopathy) was only initiated in patients without clinical VT. In patients with coronary artery disease, left ventricular ejection fraction could be correlated to clinical arrhythmia (p less than 0.001), while induced VT could only be correlated to depressed left ventricular function in patients with left ventricular aneurysm. Neither clinical nor induced VT could be correlated to left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. During a mean follow-up of 21 months, 7 patients died from sudden cardiac death. Six of them had clinical VT, but in only 1 patient with coronary artery disease was VT initiated. There was no apparent difference in the antiarrhythmic therapy of the patients with sudden death with respect to the surviving population. In conclusion, the response to PVS with the stimulation protocol applied is different in patients with coronary artery disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. The prognostic significance of the results obtained from PVS remains uncertain.     

Hereditary hemochromatosis gene (HFE) mutations C282Y, H63D and S65C in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a common autosomal recessive disease, leads to excessive iron accumulation in some organs, including the heart. It is therefore not surprising that cardiomyopathy is one of the most severe complications of HH. The HFE gene defects have been thought to contribute to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) in some patients, even though the results of genotype analyses have so far been contradictory. Hence we set out here to evaluate the prevalence and potential role of HFE mutations in patients with IDCM. METHODS: A total of 91 IDCM patients and 102 controls were subjected to HFE mutation analyses, in which C282Y, H63D and S65C mutations were determined for each patient. We also analyzed the impact of the C282Y and H63D mutations on the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes. RESULTS: The prevalences of heterozygosity for the C282Y, H63D and S65C mutations in the IDCM patients were 13.2%, 22.0% and 2.2%, respectively. LVEDD was significantly higher (P=0.037) in those with the C282Y mutation at the end of the follow-up period than in those with no mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed no significant deviations in C282Y, H63D and S65C mutation frequencies between the IDCM patients and controls, suggesting that these mutations do not increase the risk of IDCM. Heterozygosity for the C282Y mutation may nevertheless be a modifying factor contributing to LV dilatation and remodeling.     

Regional patterns of myocardial sympathetic denervation in dilated cardiomyopathy: an analysis using carbon-11 hydroxyephedrine and positron emission tomography

OBJECTIVE: To assess presynaptic function of cardiac autonomic innervation in patients with advanced congestive heart failure using positron emission tomography (PET) and the recently developed radiolabelled catecholamine analogue carbon-11 hydroxyephedrine (HED) as a marker for neuronal catecholamine uptake function. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: 29 patients suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy with moderate to severe heart failure were compared with eight healthy controls. Perfusion scan was followed by HED dynamic PET imaging of cardiac sympathetic innervation. The scintigraphic results were compared with markers of disease severity and the degree of sympathetic dysfunction assessed by means of heart rate variability. RESULTS: In contrast to nearly normal perfusions, mean (SD) HED retention in dilated cardiomyopathy patients was abnormal in 64 (32)% of the left ventricle. Absolute myocardial HED retention was 10.7 (1.0)%/min in controls v 6.2 (1.6)%/min in dilated cardiomyopathy patients (p < 0.001). Moreover, significant regional reduction of HED retention was demonstrated in apical and inferoapical segments. HED retention was significantly correlated with New York Heart Association functional class (r = -0.55, p = 0. 002) and ejection fraction (r = 0.63, p < 0.001), but not, however, with plasma noradrenaline concentrations as well as parameters of heart rate variability. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, using PET in combination with HED in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, not only global reduction but also regional abnormalities of cardiac sympathetic tracer uptake were demonstrated. The degree of abnormality was positively correlated to markers of severity of heart failure. The pathogenetic mechanisms leading to the regional differences of neuronal damage as well as the prognostic significance of these findings remain to be defined.