Objective: To explore the clinical and echocardiography characteristics between noncompaction of ventricular myocardium (NVM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) combining hypertrabeculation in order to distinguish NVM from DCM.
Methods: Our research included 2 groups of patients: NVM group,n=31 and DCM combining hypertrabeculation group, n=50. The basic information as gender, age, family history, symptoms, ECG, plasma levels of BNP and echocardiography were recorded and examined in all patients; the size of cardiac chambers, myocardium, endocardium and hemodynamics were particularly focused. The trabeculation was analyzed by 17 segments method.
Results:①Compared with NVM group, the patients in DCM combining hypertrabeculation group had the worse cardiac classiifcation, higher plasma levels of BNP (P<0.05) and more obvious cardiac dilatation.②The patients in NVM group had the most trabeculation segments (9.82 ± 2.02) and the apical (17th segment) was involved, patients had the higher ratio of noncompacton/compaction (NC/C) as (2.84 ± 0.61), there were (4.12 ± 2.68) segments with NC/C > 2.③The patients in DCM combining hypertrabeculation group had the less trabeculation segments (5.56 ± 1.56) and the apical was seldom involved, patients had the lower ration of NC/C as (1.91± 0.42), there was at most 1 segment with NC/C > 2. All P<0.05.
Conclusion: Echocardiography is a simple, practical and noninvasive method to distinguish NVM from DCM. NVM could be diagnosed by obvious left ventricular apex involvement with NC/C >2 in at least 2 segments of free ventricular walls.