Autosomal recessive inheritance of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a Madeira Portuguese kindred.

Cardiomyopathy is a heterogeneous disorder with numerous inherited and acquired causes. Familial, isolated, dilated cardiomyopathy is usually reported as being inherited in an autosomal dominant mode with variable penetrance and expressivity. In this paper we describe a form of autosomal recessively inherited, dilated, cardiomyopathy occurring in three members of a consanguineous Madeira Portuguese family. Following review of the literature, it appears that the autosomal recessive form of dilated cardiomyopathy is more common than previously reported.