Molecular changes in cardiac myofilaments from Doberman Pinschers with naturally occurring dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the myocardium characterized by severe ventricular dilatation and progressively impaired systolic function. DCM of the Doberman Pinscher is an autosomal inherited disease, with a breed prevalence of up to 60% 1-3 . Although the age of onset is variable, sudden death in subclinical DCM dogs occurs in up to 30% of cases 19-21 . Once overt DCM manifests, it is rapidly progressive: median survival time ranges from 14-329 days depending on the study and treatment protocol 15,17 . DCM is also the most frequent form of primary myocardial disease and the third most common cause of heart failure in humans 5 . The life expectancy of human patients suffering from DCM varies according to the underlying etiology, with a median survival time of approximately 5 years after diagnosis 5 .