Heart diseases in mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke syndrome.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke (MELAS) syndrome is a mitochondrial genetic disorder caused by a point mutation, resulting in the substitution of guanine for adenine at nucleotide 3243 (A3243G) of mitochondrial DNA. This disease is characterized by a multisystem disorder with variable manifestations. The authors review heart involvement in this disease.