[Restrictive myocardiopathy in children. A study of 4 patients]

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is an unusual form of cardiomyopathy during childhood. Only occasional cases or reduced populations have been reported in international journals. The purpose of this report is to document the clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic profile and outcome of restrictive cardiomyopathy in a group of four children (two boys and two girls). The mean age at admission was 3.5 +/- 2.7 years (range 1(3/12) to 7(10/12) years). The diagnosis was made by clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic criteria. The main symptoms were bronchial disease (two patients), hepatomegaly and a cardiac murmur. All of the patients had impaired growth and physical development, normal or near-normal Rx cardiothoracic ratio, evidence of congestive heart failure and only one of them showed a cardiac murmur. The most common ECG finding was biatrial enlargement and incomplete right-bundle branch block. The echocardiographic feature was severe biatrial dilatation in the presence of normal ventricular cavity size. Left ventricular shortening was normal and there was diastolic dysfunction. Doppler mitral flow was restrictive, with an E/A ration > 1.5. Marked elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was noted in cardiac catheterization (x = 32 +/- 7 mmHg). Right ventricular end-diastolic pressure was elevated, but less than the left side (x = 19 +/- 12 mmHg). The outcome was very poor. Two patients died, one remains with heart failure NYHA II and the other with heart failure NYHA IV. We conclude that restrictive cardiomyopathy during childhood may simulate a bronchial or liver disease, so we must bear this in mind in order to make the differential diagnosis. Because of the poor prognosis and lack of specific treatment, the best therapeutic option may be heart transplantation.