Clinical Presentation and Echocardiographic Characteristics of Patients with Left Ventricular Noncompaction

pp. 480-485

Abstract

Left ventricular noncompaction is a primary genetic cardiomyopathy caused by arrest of normal embryogenesis of the endocardium and myocardium. This anomaly is frequently associated with arrhythmias, heart failure and thromboembolic events.
The goal of the present study was to describe the clinical presentation and the electrocardiographic and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with this cardiomyopathy.
Twenty-two patients with left ventricular noncompaction
detected by echocardiography between July 2004 and April
2009 were analyzed. Electrocardiogram and transthoracic
Doppler echocardiography was performed to all the patients, and 12 patients underwent 24-hour Holter monitoring.
Weight, height and body mass index were calculated and compared with 66 patients distributed in three groups of 22  patients each: 1) control group without heart disease, 
2) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; and 3) idiopathic dilated
cardiomyopathy.
In the population with left ventricular noncompaction, female gender prevailed, lower weight and body mass index was observed and dyspnea was the most common symptom. The electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm, conduction disturbances and repetitive ventricular arrhythmia. Transthoracic echocardiography showed different degrees of systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction with areas of noncompaction in the mid and apical inferior, posterior and lateral segments; intraventricular thrombi were occasionally seen and sometimes associated with coronary artery fistulas.