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  • Title: Good prognosis for dilated cardiomyopathy without severe heart failure or arrhythmia.
    Author: Stewart RA, McKenna WJ, Oakley CM.
    Journal: Q J Med; 1990 Mar; 74(275):309-18. PubMed ID: 2385738.
    Abstract:
    In 124 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, symptoms of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmia at initial assessment were related to outcome a mean of 43 months later. Using life table analysis, the two-year mortality from progressive heart failure was 59 per cent (90 per cent symptoms, six per cent (1-11 per cent) for patients with class 2 symptoms and zero for patients with class 1 symptoms. The two-year mortality from sudden death was 18 per cent (5-32 per cent) for patients with class 3 symptoms, eight per cent (3-14 per cent) for patients with class 2 symptoms and seven per cent (0-17 per cent) for patients with class 1 symptoms. Sudden death was more frequent in patients with ventricular tachycardia or frequent ventricular ectopics, irrespective of the severity of heart failure (15 per cent (7-23 per cent) vs. three per cent (0-8 per cent) at two years). These findings suggest that patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and mild symptoms often have a benign clinical course. However, occult ventricular arrhythmia is associated with an increased risk of sudden death.
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