In this study, we enrolled 73 consecutive patients in our hospital
in whom polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis had detected
viral HHV-6 A and B genomes in the biopsy sample at clinical
presentation between June 2003 and December 2008. EMB was
taken to further elucidate a possible inflammatory and/or infectious
cause of their disease because the clinical presentation had
suggested inflammatory cardiomyopathy or DCM. Major complaints
and clinical signs were symptoms of moderate heart failure
with fatigue, reduced physical capacity, or dyspnea on exertion.
Coronary artery disease and other possible causes of myocardial
dysfunction (hypertension, valvular disease) had been excluded
by angiography prior to EMB in all patients. We further excluded
patients with anti-viral, immunomodulatory, or immunosuppressive
therapy within the last 6 months, clinical or biochemical
evidence of the presence of concomitant chronic inflammatory
disease, chronic renal insufficiency (creatinine ≥ 1.4 mmol/l), or
malignant disease