Neonatal cardiomyopathy is a rare disease that ranges from asymptomatic to abruptly lethal. However, there are few studies regarding neonatal cardiomyopathy.
We investigated the clinical features of five neonates with cardiomyopathy in our hospital.
We retrospectively reviewed the records of five newborns who were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy (three hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: HCM, one dilated cardiomyopathy: DCM, one left ventricular noncompaction: LVNC) between January 2004 and December 2018 inclusive. Primary evaluation items were reasons for reaching a diagnosis, underlying disease, therapy, and turning point.
Patients with HCM and those with LVNC were diagnosed on the basis of cardiac murmur ; the patient with DCM was diagnosed on the basis of sucking failure. Underlying diseases were Noonan syndrome and LEOPARD syndrome. All patients had taken β-blockers, whereas those with DCM and LVNC had also taken diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The three patients with HCM are undergoing follow-up as out-patients. The patient with DCM died due to progressed heart failure at 38 days after birth. The patient with LVNC had already exhibited severe heart failure after birth, and is now undergoing follow-up while heart transplantation is considered.
Because two patients with HCM exhibited Noonan syndrome and LEOPARD syndrome as RAS/MAPK-related diseases, this underlying conditions should be considered in patients who receive a diagnosis of HCM. Because heart failure progresses rapidly in patients with neonatal DCM and those with LVNC, planed therapy should include discussion of heart transplantation.