BACKGROUND: It is apparent that despite lack of family history, patients with 
the morphological characteristics of left ventricular non-compaction develop 
arrhythmias, thrombo-embolism and left ventricular dysfunction.
METHODS: Forty two patients, aged 48.7 +/- 2.3 yrs (mean +/- SEM) underwent 
cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) for the quantification of left 
ventricular volumes and extent of non-compacted (NC) myocardium. The latter was 
quantified using planimetry on the two-chamber long axis LV view (NC area). The 
patients included those referred specifically for CMR to investigate suspected 
cardiomyopathy, and as such is represents a selected group of patients.
RESULTS: At presentation, 50% had dyspnoea, 19% chest pain, 14% palpitations and 
5% stroke. Pulmonary embolism had occurred in 7% and brachial artery embolism in 
2%. The ECG was abnormal in 81% and atrial fibrillation occurred in 29%. 
Transthoracic echocardiograms showed features of NC in only 10%. On CMR, 
patients who presented with dyspnoea had greater left ventricular volumes (both 
p < 0.0001) and a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p < 0.0001) 
than age-matched, healthy controls. In patients without dyspnoea (n = 21), NC 
area correlated positively with end-diastolic volume (r = 0.52, p = 0.0184) and 
end-systolic volume (r = 0.56, p = 0.0095), and negatively with EF (r = -0.72, p 
= 0.0001).
CONCLUSION: Left ventricular non-compaction is associated with dysrrhythmias, 
thromboembolic events, chest pain and LV dysfunction. The inverse correlation 
between NC area and EF suggests that NC contributes to left ventricular 
dysfunction.