Apparently primitive dilated cardiomyopathy. About 30 cases

This retrospective study was conducted in the Cardiology Unit of the University Hospital Ibn Rochd Casablanca. Thirty cases of primary cardiomyoparhy were recorded between 1980 and 1985. -Frequency of the disease [0.42%] was underestimated. - The mean age of the patients was 37.5 years; Most of them were males [73%]. - The clinical picture was a cardiac failure [96.6%] which was bilateral in 73.3%. - Electrocardiogram was always disturbed, but there was no specific sign. Q and QS waves of transmural fibrosis were frequently associated [33.3%]. -Echocardiography was a privileged technique for studying the dilated cardiomyopathy; it allows the diagnosis and the study of the ventricular function which is an important element in the prognosis evaluation. Treatment remains disappointing, based on the combination of rest, salt free diet associated which diuretics and digitalis. - Etiology is still unkown and the prognosis poor. - Death rate was 23.3%. Mean duration of survival was 12 months. - Two cases of this disease were of interest: a post-partum myocardiopathy and an alcoholic myocardiopathy

Thrombo-embolic accident in children with prosthesis heart valves

We report a study of thrombo-embolic accidents [TEA] observed in 273 children who have undergone cardiac surgery with prothetic valve replacement. The mean age of children is 12 years. The follow-up varies from 1 to 15 years [mean 3.7 years]. Thrombo-embolic accidents [TEA] have occured in 24 cases. The rate is 2.7 percent year/patient. The rate is slighty lower than the one observed in adults. After 5 years, 88% of the children who survived are free of any TEA. At 10 and 15 years, 77% are free. Neither age, nor cardiomegaly, nor auricular fibrillation seem to modify the TEA incidence. The thrombosis of the prosthesis is more frequent in children with tricuspid valve prosthesis, whereas children having aortic prosthesis are free of TEA. No significant difference is noted between children receiving antiplatelet drugs and those receiving anticoagulants