Abstract: Objective To analyse the diagnosis characteristics of the aged and non-aged patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).Methods 192 inpatients suspected DCM from 2004 to 2006 were analysed retrospectively, as the groups of the aged (≥60 y) and non-aged (<60 y). Results The percentage of the aged group with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) or ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) was obviously higher than that of the non-aged group (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). The percentage of the non-aged group with alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) or viral cardiomyopathy (VCM) was higher than that of the aged group(P<0.01). Conclusion There are various diseases similar to DCM should be identified. The causes leading to DCM are different in the aged and non-aged patients.

Key words: dilated cardiomyopathy, aged, non-aged, diagnosis, viral cardiomyopathy, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy