Dilated Cardiomyopathy in the Cardiology Department of the CHU of Casablanca: A One-Year Observational Study

Abstract

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is defined by a left ventricle (LV) with reduced systolic function (<45%) and dilation (LV volume > 90 ml/m²), excluding coronary artery disease or sufficient load conditions to explain it. The etiologies are multiple and increasingly well-known. We conducted a single-centre, retrospective observational study within the cardiology department of the CHU IBN ROCHD in Casablanca, Morocco, over one year. The main objective was to describe the characteristics and particularities of patients followed for DCM. The diagnosis is based only on echocardiography, after exclusion of an ischemic cause, severe valvular disease, and congenital heart disease. During the study, 44 patients were included, with a male predominance of 63.6% versus 36.4%. The average age was 60 ± 16.8 years. The initial presentation of cardiomyopathy showed that 73% of patients were admitted with heart failure (HF). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 30.2 ± 7.9%. Among the attributed etiologies, idiopathic DCM was the main cause reported in 59% of cases, followed by systemic lupus erythematosus (14%) and myocarditis (14%). In our sample, treatment was based on HF management, including beta-blockers, renin-angiotensin system blockers, SGLT2 inhibitors, and aldosterone antagonists. Implantation of a defibrillator for primary prevention concerned only one patient (3%) of the 33 patients for whom the theoretical indication was retained.