[Prospective etiologic survey on apparently primary nonobstructive myocardiopathies in adults. 57 cases, excluding ischemic cardiopathies].

A prospective study into the aetiology of presumed primary non-obstructive cardiomyopathy was carried out in 57 patients who had no lesions of the trunk of the coronary artery; one case of haemochromatosis and one of amyloidosis were found. Excluding these two cases of cardiomyopathy which were in fact secondary, most of the others were associated with manifestations or with complications of myocardial diseases (two pulmonary emboli and one case of jaundice) or pathology associated with it. Investigation into possible infection, biochemical abnormalities and dietary indiscretion (alcohol, colza oil), were unfruitful. Electromyographic changes of the "myositic" type were very common. The bicycle ergometry test was often interrupted through fatiguing of the peripheral muscles. These findings suggest that the muscular abnormalities may not be limited to the heart. The cost of an enquiry of this type has been investigated.