left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)

[Ashly02]

My son who is around 2.5 months is detected with severe LVH but he is very normal and gaining weight. We had done metabolic workup and found that there is no metabolic deficiency. The pediatric cardiologist have told for a regular follow up every month to see is there any regression and no progression. Kindly help me how do I proceed further and I need my son to be cured out of it.

Seeking your help

Ashly

[Marie M Gleason, M.D.]

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an abnormal thickening of the muscle in the left pumping chamber (left ventricle).  It can be a primary problem due to a cardiomyopathy (these usually do not resolve on their own) or secondary due to other causes (infants of diabetic mothers can have transient LVH that improves in the first 6 months of life).  High blood pressure can also cause LVH.  If the metabolic workup is negative so far, and there is no family history of heart muscle problems, then serial follow up is required, as your pediatric cardiologist has suggested.  If the LVH persists beyond the first 6-12 months of life, then it is likely a cardiomyopathy, which will not resolve.  Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic condition that has potential serious risks for heart rhythm problems and progression over time. It is premature to know which category your child's heart will follow.  Continue to work with your cardiologist and they can inform you of any changes.

[Marie M Gleason, M.D.]

I am sorry to here about the deterioration in your child's condition.  I hope that your will be able to get information from the genetic/metabolic work up that will help understand the underlying cause.  Best of luck.

[Ashly02]

When i wrote this email, my son was healthy and asymtamatic but I was aware of the problem what he was suffering from. On Nov 28th he stopped taking feed and had some urinary infection as per the urine routine analysis. When we took him to the hospital, the doc told to admit him immediately as he was breathing slightly on the faster side. It is almost now 13 days, my son is in the PICU under artificial oxygen and the wall thickness is increased to 22 mm. As per the doc's, there is no medication and telling us that he may leave this world any moment. Parallely I am also working with my genetic consultant to find the underlying cause of this LVH in case something turns out positive where we can treat him.

As a father, I am doing my best in whatever way I could and praying to the almighty that some miracle happen to save my son. In case you have any solution and atleast some treatment given to newborns with similar condition, please share it with me.

Regards,

Ashraf
Bangalore, India
00919886087697