The role of myocarditis in end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.

Many patients who undergo cardiac transplantation do so as a result of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (DC). Little is known about the causes of this condition, but long-term follow-up studies reveal a high incidence of DC in patients who have had acute viral myocarditis. The following article examines the role of myocarditis as a precursor of DC and discusses the possible etiology of myocarditis-based on animal experiments and clinical studies-as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment.