A Clinical Study of Immunoadsorption Therapy for Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Inclusion Criteria: * Dilated cardiomyopathy * LVEF \<= 40% determined by contrast echocardiography * NYHA(New York Heart Association) class II - IV * Age 18-70 * Disease duration: symptomatic heart failure ≥ 6 months prior to screening date * Treatment with Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors(ACEI) 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. * β1 adrenergic receptor antibody positive * 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 C-reactive protein(CRP) \>10mmol/L * Impaired renal function (serum creatinine \>220 µmol/L) * Any disease requiring immunosuppressive drugs * Anaemia (haemoglobin below 90 g/L) due to other causes than congestive heart failure(CHF) * Pregnancy or lactation, or childbearing potential without appropriate contraception * Alcohol or drug abuse * Presence of a malignant tumour, or remission of malignancy \< 5 years * Refusal of the patient to provide consent * Suspected poor capability to follow instructions and cooperate * Another life-threatening disease with poor prognosis (survival less than 2 years) * Participation in any other clinical study within less than 30 days prior to screening date * Previous treatments with IA or immunoglobulin * Contraindications for application of the echocardiography contrast agent used (in accordance to the product specification).