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Cardiomyopathies
Jourtml
of Molecular
and Cellular
Cardiology
(1974),
6, 403404
Book
Review
Cardiomyopathies. Edited by E. Bajusz and G. Rona, with A. J. Brink University Park Press, Maryland. Price: $39.50. 1973.
and A. Lochner.
These Proceedings of a meeting organized under the auspices of the International Study Group for Research in Cardiac Metabolism and the South African Medical Research Council in 1971, have only just been published (end of 1973) because of the unfortunate death of one of the editors, Dr Eors Bajusz. The Foreword by his colleague, Dr George Rona, indicates the important role which Dr Bajusz played in organizing this meeting and the International Study Group in general. The book is divided into the following sections: Problems of Terminology and Geographical Distribution of Cardiomyopathies; Studies on Classification; Etiology of Cardiomyopathies; Electron Microscopic, Histochemical, and Histopathologic Aspects of Human Cardiomyopathies; Experimentally Induced and Recent Advances in Histopathology Spontaneous Cardiomyopathies in Animals; of Experimental and Spontaneous Disease Models; Recent Advances in Biochemistry of Experimental and Spontaneous Disease Models; Conditions Related to Cardiomyopathies; Contributions to Diagnostic Problems of Cardiomyopathies; and Therapy. Each section is competently covered by some of the world experts in the field. My impression is that the experimental work is clear-cut where a cardiomyopathy has been induced as a result ofa definite disease process, e.g. isoproterenol, cobalt, rape seed oil, and immune reactions. The situation with regard to the spontaneously occurring cardiomyopathy of the Syrian Golden Hamster is far less clear-cut and in spite of a number of elegant studies presented at this meeting, it seems as if we are still a long way from understanding the primary events and any relation there might be to human disease. This book gives a competent and up-to-date (in spite of the delay of publication) selection of papers on experimental cardiomyopathies. However, it seems as if the role of alcohol in causing myocardial disturbances could have been given greater emphasis. Coming now to the condition in man, it is clear that the experts do not even agree as to what constitutes cardiomyopathy. This is reflected by the plethora of abbreviations used-EMF for endomyocardial fibrosis; IMED for idiopathic mural endomyocardial disease; COCM for congestive cardiomyopathy; HOCM for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; CUO for cardiomegaly of unknown origin; IC for idiopathic cardiomyopathy; PC for postpartal cardiomyopathy; IBBF for idiopathic bundle branch fibrosis; these abbreviations must indicate a certain state of confusion of the field. In spite of competent comments and reviews by George
404
BOOK
REVIEW
Burch, Andries Brink, John Goodwin, Celia Oakley, and others, it is by no means clear that the various speakers were even talking about the same conditions. There is an exciting report by Drs Lewis, Barnard, van der Walt and Brink suggesting that pericardiotomy may have a value in the treatment of South African cardiomyopathy. They report preliminary data in four patients, and in due course it will be most interesting to see what the contribution of the relief of a “tight” pericardium (only relatively tight) could be in the treatment of this condition. There is also fascinating exchange of ideas between the two Barnards (cardiac surgeons at respectively Cape Town and Stellenbosch Medical Schools) and the case for transplantation is also well-argued. In summary, the problem of human cardiomyopathy certainly still remains with us, starting from obscure definitions and working through complex etiologies to difficult diagnoses. The situation in experimental animals is much better understood. Clearly a lot more experimental and clinical work is going to be done in the near future and some similar meeting will be required in a few years’ time to evaluate the progress.
of Molecular
and Cellular
Cardiology
(1974),
6, 403404
Book
Review
Cardiomyopathies. Edited by E. Bajusz and G. Rona, with A. J. Brink University Park Press, Maryland. Price: $39.50. 1973.
and A. Lochner.
These Proceedings of a meeting organized under the auspices of the International Study Group for Research in Cardiac Metabolism and the South African Medical Research Council in 1971, have only just been published (end of 1973) because of the unfortunate death of one of the editors, Dr Eors Bajusz. The Foreword by his colleague, Dr George Rona, indicates the important role which Dr Bajusz played in organizing this meeting and the International Study Group in general. The book is divided into the following sections: Problems of Terminology and Geographical Distribution of Cardiomyopathies; Studies on Classification; Etiology of Cardiomyopathies; Electron Microscopic, Histochemical, and Histopathologic Aspects of Human Cardiomyopathies; Experimentally Induced and Recent Advances in Histopathology Spontaneous Cardiomyopathies in Animals; of Experimental and Spontaneous Disease Models; Recent Advances in Biochemistry of Experimental and Spontaneous Disease Models; Conditions Related to Cardiomyopathies; Contributions to Diagnostic Problems of Cardiomyopathies; and Therapy. Each section is competently covered by some of the world experts in the field. My impression is that the experimental work is clear-cut where a cardiomyopathy has been induced as a result ofa definite disease process, e.g. isoproterenol, cobalt, rape seed oil, and immune reactions. The situation with regard to the spontaneously occurring cardiomyopathy of the Syrian Golden Hamster is far less clear-cut and in spite of a number of elegant studies presented at this meeting, it seems as if we are still a long way from understanding the primary events and any relation there might be to human disease. This book gives a competent and up-to-date (in spite of the delay of publication) selection of papers on experimental cardiomyopathies. However, it seems as if the role of alcohol in causing myocardial disturbances could have been given greater emphasis. Coming now to the condition in man, it is clear that the experts do not even agree as to what constitutes cardiomyopathy. This is reflected by the plethora of abbreviations used-EMF for endomyocardial fibrosis; IMED for idiopathic mural endomyocardial disease; COCM for congestive cardiomyopathy; HOCM for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; CUO for cardiomegaly of unknown origin; IC for idiopathic cardiomyopathy; PC for postpartal cardiomyopathy; IBBF for idiopathic bundle branch fibrosis; these abbreviations must indicate a certain state of confusion of the field. In spite of competent comments and reviews by George
404
BOOK
REVIEW
Burch, Andries Brink, John Goodwin, Celia Oakley, and others, it is by no means clear that the various speakers were even talking about the same conditions. There is an exciting report by Drs Lewis, Barnard, van der Walt and Brink suggesting that pericardiotomy may have a value in the treatment of South African cardiomyopathy. They report preliminary data in four patients, and in due course it will be most interesting to see what the contribution of the relief of a “tight” pericardium (only relatively tight) could be in the treatment of this condition. There is also fascinating exchange of ideas between the two Barnards (cardiac surgeons at respectively Cape Town and Stellenbosch Medical Schools) and the case for transplantation is also well-argued. In summary, the problem of human cardiomyopathy certainly still remains with us, starting from obscure definitions and working through complex etiologies to difficult diagnoses. The situation in experimental animals is much better understood. Clearly a lot more experimental and clinical work is going to be done in the near future and some similar meeting will be required in a few years’ time to evaluate the progress.