Determinants of survival in endomyocardial fibrosis.

This study describes the clinical course of 108 patients with endomyocardial fibrosis. There were 76 females and 32 males, with a mean age of 35 years. All patients underwent cardiac catheterization. The angiographic data show that 64 (59%) patients had biventricular involvement. From a clinical point of view, 91 (84%) were in New York Heart Association functional classes III and IV. According to the right and left ventricular intensity of fibrosis, the patients were classified as mild (40 [37%]), moderate (36 [33%]), or severe (32 [30%]) for the right ventricle and mild (19 [18%]), moderate (61 [56%]), or severe (28 [26%]) for the left ventricle. Tricuspid regurgitation was observed in 63 (58%) patients and mitral regurgitation in 65 (60%) patients. Fifty patients in functional classes III and IV underwent surgical treatment. Survival curves constructed according to functional classes showed better prognosis for those in classes I and II (p = 0.0452). Survival curves for patients in classes III and IV for clinical and surgical treatment showed a trend toward better results for the surgical group. Analysis of factors that may have influenced the course of endomyocardial fibrosis showed that biventricular involvement (moderate or severe), right ventricular fibrosis, and presence of tricuspid and mitral regurgitation were associated with greater mortality.