Unexpected improvement of severe cardiomyopathy
The cardiac function of our patient whose case-report appeared in The Lancet deteriorated from September 1997, when he developed low output cardiac failure. Besides considerable thickening of the cardiac muscle (lipid cardiomyopathy) a poor contractility was shown on his ultrasound that was not influenced by standard anti-heart-failure therapy.
Further investigations revealed a mitochondrial mutation Mt 3243 and Complex I deficiency. His final diagnosis became MELAS (Mitochondrial-Encephalopathy-Lactic-Acid-Stroke-like-episodes)
After he was started on anti-epileptic treatment his cardiac function suddenly improved, as is shown on this recent ultrasound (March '99). The video takes about 3 minutes to download
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Jaap Karsten, pediatrician
Talma_Sionsberg
PO Box 39
9100 AA Dokkum
The Netherlands
