Multicenter Study of Immunoadsorption in Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Inclusion Criteria: * Dilated cardiomyopathy * LVEF \<= 40% determined by contrast echocardiography * NYHA class II - IV * Age 18 - 70 * Disease duration: symptomatic heart failure ≥ 6 months and \<7 years prior to screening date * Treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), beta-blockers, and aldosterone antagonists (the latter at the discretion of the attending physician), for at least 6 months and at stable doses for at least 2 months prior to screening date. * The patient's informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * NYHA class IV patients who are bed-ridden and dependent upon parenteral medication * Cardiac insufficiency resulting from another basic disease (e.g. coronary artery disease, ≥50% stenosis of major vessel as ascertained by coronary angiography performed more recent than three years before screening date, hypertensive heart disease, or valvular defects \>second degree * History of myocardial infarction * Acute myocarditis according to Dallas criteria * Endocrine disorder excluding insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus * Implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) \<1 month before screening date * Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) \<6 months before screening date * I.v. medication with inotropic drugs, vasodilators or repeated (\>1/day) i.v. administration of diuretics. * Active infectious disease, or signs of ongoing infection with CRP \>10mmol/L * Impaired renal function (serum creatinine \>220 µmol/L) * Any disease requiring immunosu…