It was revealed that plasma galectin-3 level did not correlate with myocardial galectin-3 expression or left ventricular fibrosis neither in patients with DCM, nor in those with iCMP, whereas a positive correlation between plasma galectin-3 level and inflammatory cell numbers on endomyocardial biopsy was observed in only patients with iCMP. This evidence concerns the gene LGALS3 and familial dilated cardiomyopathy.