FREQUENCY OF HCV IN IDIOPATHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

SUMMARYCardiomyopathies are diseases that involve the myocardium primarily and are not the result of hypertension, congenital H.D, vesicular heart diseases or coronary artery disease inflammatory toxic, metabolic nutritional, familial and infiltrative agents may be the cause of cardiomyopathy; between HCV and cardiomyopathy in Egypt which is highly endmic by HCV (6-28%).One hundred patient were selected and divided into two groups:Group I (patient group) suffer from DCM.Group II (control) age and gender matched with group I but suffer from other cardiac disease as control group both groups were subjected to:1- Complete history taking and therapy,2- Clinical examinations.3- Complete blood picture.4- Liver function tests.5- Kidney function test.6- ECG.7- Abdominal ultrasound.Our results show that the frequency of HCV in patients with DCM (Group I) is 24%, while it is 22% in patients control group (group II). The difference between the two groups is statistically insignificant. These results indicate that HCV has no relation to the pathogenesis of DCM in Egypt. The relation between HCV and cardiomyopathy may be present in another populations or countries due to either genotype of HCV or genetic factors which control the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy.Recommendations:We recommend large controlled study of cardiomyopathy and HCV include HCV genotypes and genetic factors as HLA systems.