DCMP AS A CLINICAL SYNDROME: RESULTS OF NOSOLOGICAL DIAGNOSTICS WITH MYOCARDIAL BIOPSY AND DIFFERENTIATED TREATMENT IN VIRUS-POSITIVE AND VIRUS-NEGATIVE PATIENTS

Aim. The nosological diagnostics in patients with the baseline syndromic diagnosis “dilated cardiomyopathy” (DCMP) with the use of myocardial biopsy and evaluation of complex treatment (cardiotropic, antiviral, immune suppressing, surgical), including virus-positive and virus-negative patients with myocarditis.

Material and methods. Totally, 220 patients included with DCMP syndrome, 69 women and 151 men (31,4% and 68,6%), from 16 to 77 y. o. (mean age — 47,5±12,5,) with dilation and systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV); end diastolic size (EDS) more than 5,5 cm; ejection fraction (EF) less than 50%, and absence of exclusion criteria. Mean EDS was 6,5 [6,0; 7,1] cm, EF — 30,3±10,1%, dp/dt 659 [535; 774,25] mmHg, VTI — 10,8±3,9 cm.
The assessments were done of the anticardial antibodies via immune enzyme assay (IEA) and PCR-diagnostics of viral genome in blood of 95,5% patients, tread-mill test (5,9%), coronary arteriography (41,8%), MSCT (67,7%), MRI (22,3%), scintigraphy with 99mТс-MIBI (31,4%), genetic consultation and DNA-diagnostics via sequencing by Senger (21,8% and 16,8%). Morphological study of myocardium was done in 84 (38,2%) patients, incl. 52 endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) with PCR for parvovirus B19 genome and herpes viruses.

Results. By the data of clinical-morphological assessment, viral genome in blood was revealed in 21% patients, in myocardium — 52%, definite myocarditis was set in 48%, possible — 8%, genetical DCMP — in 12%, myocarditis with genetic cardiomyopathy — 23% (incl. those with pathogenic mutations in genes MYBPC3, DSP, DSG2, LMNA, EMD, DES, TTR, DTNA), idiopathic DCMP — in 9%. In 59% patients myocarditis was primarily chronic, in more than one third of patients there was combination of several causes for DCMP (incl. alcohol). Short-term and long-term results of treatment were evaluated in 127 patients with myocarditis: 52 virus-positive by blood and/or myocardium (myocarditis morphologically proved in 73,1%) and 75 virus-negative (biopsy in 30,7%), that differed by a little lower EDS LV and lower EF. Significant differences by immunity activation (titres of anticardial antibodies) were not found; in 7% there was isolated viral myocarditis, in 34% — viral-immune; in 59% — immune. If viruses were found, therapy ordered with acyclovir, gancyclovir, entecavir, i. v. immunoglobulines; elimination of virus from the blood reached in 81% of patients. If there was tolerance to cardiotropic therapy and high immune activity, immune suppression therapy (IST) was ordered: in 51% of virus-positive and 62,7% virus-negative patients: steroids 30 [22; 40] and 24 [16; 32] mg/day, azathioprin 1-2 mg/kg, hydroxychloroquine 200 mg/day. In 12,0 [6,0; 20,0] months it was found that only in IST group there was remarkable decrease of CHF FC, LV sizes, MPPA and increase of EF LV from
30,3±10,6% to 39,2±11,9% independently from presence or absence of viral genome. In absence of IST such dynamics was not found. The best results were found in virus-negative patients receiving IST (mortality 9,8%, need for surgical treatment 21,3%), the worst — in virus-positive patients without IST (66,7% and 61,1%, respectively).

Conclusion. Nosological nature of DCMP syndrome can be defined in most cases; usually there is myocaditis in its origin. IST in high immune activity of myocarditis (high titers of anticardial antibodies) leads to significant increase of EF, decrease of the left ventricle size, MPPA, mortality and necessity of surgery in virus-negative, as in virus-positive patients. 

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