Clinical Profile of Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Tertiary Care Center in North East India

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe illness with high mortality in the young adult population in resource limited settings.In north-east part of India, clinicians still continue to face the challenges of identifying and treating the dilated cardiomyopathy to improve quality of life due to various reasons.In India, there have been few investigations focusing on the dilated cardiomyopathy patients.But from this part of the country, there is paucity of data.Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine the clinical characteristics of dilated cardiomyopathy patients who presented to our hospital.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study was carried out in the Department of General Medicine, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Jorhat, Assam, from January 2013 to December 2013.Total 31 consecutive patients fulfilling the criteria of dilated cardiomyopathy were studied.Dilated Cardiomyopathy was diagnosed if enlarged left ventricle with decreased systolic function as measured by left ventricular ejection fraction characterized dilated cardiomyopathy.Patients were excluded from the study if they have one or more of the following; systemic hypertension (>160/100 mm Hg), evidence of coronary artery diseases, pericardial diseases, congenital heart disease, valvular heart diseases, cor pulmonale and rapid, sustained supraventricular tachycardia.Detailed inform consent from the patients and ethical permission from the concerned authorities were taken.RESULTS: Thirty one patients were diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy during the study period who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study.Twenty-nine (92%) of 31 patients presented with clinical features of congestive heart failure as their initial presentation and majority presented with dyspnea (70.97%), followed by palpitation (64.52%).The mean cardio thoracic ratio was (0.61).Majority of the patients (70.97%) were in sinus rhythm and commonest abnormality detected in ECG was QRS abnormality (54.84%), followed by left axis deviation (48.39%).CONCLUSION: In majority of cases the cause of dilated cardiomyopathy is idiopathic, followed by alcohol consumption.Secondary causes occur with less frequency.Patients present with features of heart failure during the initial presentation associated with QRS abnormalities on ECG.