Heart transplantation in a patient with Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 and end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy: a short term follow-up

Andrea Antonio Papa 1, Federica Verrillo 1, Marianna Scutifero 2, Anna Rago 1, Salvatore Morra 2, Antonio Cassese 1, Nadia Della Cioppa 3, Maria Cristina Giada Magliocca 4, Dario Galante 5, Alberto Palladino 2, Paolo Golino 1 and Luisa Politano 2

1 Department of Cardiology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy; 2 Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy; 3 Department of Anesthesiology, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy; 4 Anesthesia Department, Moscati Hospital, Aversa, Caserta, Italy; 5 Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University Hospital Ospedali Riuniti, Foggia, Italy

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) or Steinert’s disease is the most common muscular dystrophy in adult life with an estimated prevalence of 1:8000. Cardiac involvement, including arrhythmias and conduction disorders, contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Mild ventricular dysfunction has also been reported associated with conduction disorders, but severe ventricular systolic dysfunction is not a frequent feature and usually occurs late in the course of the disease. Heart transplantation is currently considered the ultimate gold standard surgical approach in the treatment of refractory heart failure in general population. To date, considering the shortage of donors that limit the achievement of a greater number of heart transplants and the reluctance of the cardiac surgeons to transplant patients with dystrophic cardiomyopathy, little is known about the number of patients with DM1 transplanted and their outcome. We report the case of a 44 year old patient with Steinert disease who showed an early onset ventricular dysfunction refractory to optimal medical and cardiac resincronization therapy, and underwent to successful heart transplantation. At our knowledge, this is the second heart transplantation performed in a patient affected by Steinert disease after the one reported by Conraads et al in 2002.

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