A study on coxsachie virus B association in some Sudanese patients with Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy presenting to Khartoum Teaching Hospitals

Abstract

Eighty patients with Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy-attending Al Shaab and Khartoum Teaching Hospitals were studied for Coxsachie B virus association as a risk factor for their illness. Males were predominant in this study; most of our patients were coming from Northern and central part of Sudan. Coxaschie B virus anti body titers were negative in all patients. Alcohol consumption and puerperal cardiomyopathy were found to be a strong risk factors. Upper respiratory tract infection, which could be viral in origin was present in less than one third of our patients, before symptoms of cardiac failure developed. All patients presented with congestive heart failure, most of then had normal blood pressure with small pulse pressure (due to poor cardiac out put). Left ventricular dilatation was found in all cases studied on echocardiography.