Background: Left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) is associated with a good prognosis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), so in this study we examined the achievement rates of LVRR, the time taken to LVRR and the factors associated with LVRR in recent cases of DCM.

Methods and results: We enrolled 121 patients with DCM. LVRR was defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥40% at follow-up with a ≥10% improvement. LVRR was observed in 82 patients (68%). The median time to LVRR was 208 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels at discharge (per 1-SD increase, odds ratio: 0.483, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.224-0.963; P=0.0385) and β-blocker dose (per 1-SD increase, odds ratio: 3.379, 95% CI: 1.644-7.702; P=0.0007) were independently associated with LVRR. When the patients were divided into 2 groups according to the first (2007-2017; n=64) and second (2018-2022; n=57) time periods, there was a significantly higher LVRR achievement rate (48.4% vs. 89.5%) and shorter time to LVRR in the second period than in the first.

Conclusions: The LVRR achievement rate in DCM has been increasing, and the time to LVRR has been shortened in recent years. Beta-blocker dose and BNP levels at discharge may be strongly associated with LVRR.

Keywords: B-type natriuretic peptide; Beta-blockers; Dilated cardiomyopathy; Left ventricular reverse remodeling.

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