Cardiomyopathy‐Associated Chronic Heart Failure in Infants Aged <1 Year: A Prospective Observational Cohort Over 5 Years in Northern China

Abstract

Background There have been few large‐scale studies on the outcomes of cardiomyopathy‐associated heart failure (HF) in infants aged 1 year. Methods and Results A prospective observational study following 327 infant patients up to 5 years in 2 large pediatric heart centers in Northern China between January 2010 and December 2018. A total of 236 (72.2%) patients had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HF with reduced ejection fraction group; LVEF 1 year were found to improve with medical therapies during the first year of diagnosis. Poorer outcomes were associated with decreased LVEF and increased heart size at diagnosis baseline, the presence of left bundle‐branch block and use of β blockers. The Northern Chinese pediatric population may have a high proportion of left ventricular noncompaction.

Keywords

• cardiomyopathy
• echocardiography
• heart failure
• longitudinal
• pediatrics