Cardiomyopathies of infancy.

Cardiomyopathies in infancy constitute an ill-defined group of conditions. Recently, however, a number of specific disorders of metabolism and mitochondrial abnormalities have been described. Idiopathic or primary cardiomyopathies remain poorly defined. Endocardial fibroelastosis, the most prominent member in this group, probably represents a reaction of the endocardium to various insults. The different types of cardiomyopathy (CM) present a similar clinical picture and require the expertise of a group of specialists for proper diagnosis. Therapy is mostly supportive, as only a few cases of CM are amenable to specific treatment. Orthopic cardiac transplantation may become a therapeutic option in the future for infants unresponsive to current therapy.