[Congestive cardiomyopathy after chronic inhalation of trichloroethylene].

A congestive cardiomyopathy (associated with an atrial flutter) was observed in a 14 year-old boy who was a regular trichlorethylene sniffer. Regression occurred after stopping exposition to the toxic chemical. This complication hitherto not reported in children, may be fatal. Its origin would be ischemic because trichlorethylene is known to potentiate the effects of circulating catecholamines. This toxic cardiomyopathy has to be added to the list of congestive cardiomyopathies in children and adolescents.