[The echocardiographic examination in adult cardiomyopathy].

Echocardiography allows distinction between the diastolic dysfunction of hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathies and the systolic dysfunction of dilated cardiomyopathy. The diagnosis and prognosis may be deduced from echocardiographic parameters. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy systolic function is normal and there is asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy (> 13 mm) associated with a reduced diastolic dimension and atrial dilatation resulting from diastolic dysfunction. The prognosis could be related to the severity of left ventricular hypertrophy; right ventricular hypertrophy is uncommon and its severity seems to be related to that of left ventricular hypertrophy. Restrictive cardiomyopathies are less common and amyloidosis is the commonest cause. Symmetric hypertrophy with reduced diastolic dimensions is observed; right ventricular involvement occurs in about 30% of cases. The prognosis seems to be related to the degree of parietal infiltration and, at advanced stages, systolic function is abnormal (fractional shortening < 20% with a left ventricular diastolic dimension > or = 55 mm) and rapidly fatal. Dilated cardiomyopathy is diagnosed when wall thickness is normal but left ventricular diastolic dimensions > 27 mm/m2 and ejection fraction < 45%. Right and left ventricular dimensions of the same size, left ventricular diastolic dimensions > 70 mm and left ventricular ejection fractions < 20% are poor prognostic indicators.