All issues > Volume 32(8); 1989

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1989;32(8):1132-1137. Published online August 31, 1989.

A Case of Doxorubicin-induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Sang Young Jeong¹, Soo Chun Kim¹, Sung Ho Cha¹, Young Mook Choi¹, Chang Il Ahn¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea

Received: October 4, 1988;  Accepted: December 21, 1988.

Abstract

Doxorubicin is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and various solid tumors. Because of dose-dependent degenerative cardiomyopathy, however, doxorubicin theraphy may be discontinued ineffectively early. Doxorubicin-induced conges- tive heart failure carries a very poor prognosis since it is lethal in 60% of patients. Various methods for evaluating the cardiotoxic effect have been employed such as EKG, systolic time interval, echocardiography, radionuclide angiography and endomyocardial biopsy. We have experienced a case of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy with finding of increased internal diameter of left ventricle and decreased left ventricular function (increased systolic time interval) in echocardiogram and increased CT ratio (63%) in chest X-ray in a girl who had symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure, then she has treated with anticancer chemotherapeutic agents containing doxorubicin (total cumulative dose is 400 mg) due to retinoblastoma. The case was presented with brief review of literature.

Keywords :Doxorubicin, Cardiomyopathy