Background The purposes of this study were to confirm the changes in myocardial collagen level after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), find the relation between these changes and prognosis, and test a practical method to assess the level of myocardial collagen.Methods Left ventricular samples were collected from DCM patients with different prognosis (transplanted group n=8, weaning group n=10) at the time when the LVADs were implanted and again during cardiac transplantation (n=8). The level of neutral salt soluble collagen (NSC) and acid soluble collagen (ASC) was measured by Sircol collagen assay, and that of total collagen and insoluble collagen (ISC) by quantification of hydroxyproline (Hyp). Serum samples were collected from a portion of these patients (transplanted group, n=6; weaning group n=7) at the time the LVADs were implanted, 1 month after implantation and on explantation. Circulating concentration of carboxy-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen (PⅠCP), amino-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen (PⅠNP), amino-terminal propeptide of type Ⅲ procollagen (PⅢNP) and type Ⅰ collagen telopeptide (ⅠCTP) were measured by the equilibrium type radioimmunoassay. Results Before LVAD implantation the level of NSC and ISC in the weaning group was higher but ASC in the transplanted group was lower than in the controls (P