Objective:To explore the feasibility of adriamycin-induced dilated cardiomyopathy model in rabbits.Methods:26 rabbits were given 1mg.kg-1 body wt.of adriamycin intravenously twice a week for 8 weeks

then received echocardiography and histoligical examination after 3 weeks of final injection.Results: 17 rabbits survived.Compared to the baseline station

the value for the Left ventricular diastolic dimension(LVEDD) and the Left ventricular systolic dimension(LVESD) increased significantly

while the value for the Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and the Left ventricular short fraction(LVFS) decreased significantly after treated with adriamycin(P<0.05).Pathological examination demonstrated the change in myocardium of the treated rabbits consisted with the dilated cardiomyopathy in human patients.Conclusions:Intravenous injection of adriamycin can be used to induce dilated cardiomyopathy model in rabbits

and its physiopathologic characteristic closely resembles the human condition.