Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart muscle disease that is endemic in Africa. Over the past 50 years, South African investigators have made significant contributions to scientific elucidation of the condition. The objective of this review was to summarise their research on the subject of DCM.
Methods and results: We searched PubMed for articles originating from South Africa and focusing on DCM or the related condition, peripartum cardiomyopathy (PCM). Reference lists and prominent South African researchers on DCM were also consulted. The prevalence of DCM is comparable in magnitude to that of other endemic heart conditions such as hypertension and rheumatic heart disease, although by comparison, DCM may cause disproportionate morbidity from heart failure. In the African context, malnutrition, excessive alcohol intake, prior myocarditis and genetic make-up have been proposed as aetiologies, and some or all of these factors may play an interrelated role in individual disease expression. The pathogenesis of DCM is partially due to the mechanical effects of fibrosis, and the immune response to myocardial damage likely affects disease progression. Small trials of pentoxifylline plus conventional therapy have demonstrated a trend towards reduced mortality from heart failure.
Conclusions: Despite half a century of noteworthy research, the pathogenic mechanisms of DCM are still incompletely understood. South Africans have, however, played and should continue to play a critical role in advancing research on DCM.