Patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) have various left ventricular (LV) shapes: reverse septal curvature (RSC, commonly familial), sigmoid septum (SS, common in hypertensives), and concentric hypertrophy (CH). Longitudinal (systolic and early diastolic) strain rate (SR) is sensitive in detecting regional myocardial dysfunction. We sought to determine differences in longitudinal SR of patients with obstructive HC, based on LV shapes. We studied 199 consecutive patients with HC (50% men) referred for surgical myectomy. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were recorded. LV shapes were classified on echocardiography, using basal septal 1/3 to posterior wall ratio: RSC = ratio >1.3 (extending to mid and distal septum), SS = ratio >1.3 (extending only to basal 1/3), and concentric = ratio ≤1.3. Longitudinal systolic and early diastolic SRs were measured from apical 4- and 2-chamber views (VVI 2.0; Siemens, Erlangen). Distribution of RSC, SS, and CH was 50%, 28%, and 22%, respectively. Patients with RSC were significantly younger (47 ± 12 vs 64 ± 10 and 57 ± 11, respectively) with lower hypertension (40% vs 71% and 67%, respectively) than patients with SS or CH (both p <0.001). Patients with RSC had lower global systolic (-0.99 ± 0.3 vs -1.05 ± 0.3 and -1.17 ± 0.3) and early diastolic SR (0.95 ± 0.4 vs 0.98 ± 0.3 and 1.16 ± 0.4) versus patients with SS and CH (in 1/s, both p <0.01), despite being much younger and less hypertensive. RSC was associated with abnormal global LV systolic (beta 0.16) and early diastolic (beta -0.17) SR (both p <0.01). In conclusion, patients with HC with RCS have significantly abnormal LV mechanics, despite being younger and less hypertensive. A combination of LV mechanics and shapes could help differentiate between genetically mediated and other causes of obstructive HC.
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