Value of Genetic Testing for the Prediction of Long-Term Outcome in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Am J Cardiol. 2016 Sep 15;118(6):881-887. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2016.06.038. Epub 2016 Jun 27.

Abstract

Pathogenic gene mutations are found in about 50% of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). Previous studies have shown an association between sarcomere mutations and medium-term outcome. The association with long-term outcome has not been described. The aim of this cohort study was to assess the long-term outcomes of patients with genotype positive (G+) and genotype negative (G-) HC. The study population consisted of 626 patients with HC (512 probands and 114 relatives) who underwent phenotyping and genetic testing from 1985 to 2014. End points were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) mortality, heart failure (HF)-related mortality, and sudden cardiac death/aborted sudden cardiac death (SCD/aborted SCD). Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed. A pathogenic mutation was detected in 327 patients (52%). G+ probands were younger than G- probands (46 ± 15 vs 55 ± 15 years, p <0.001), had more non sustained ventricular tachycardia (34% vs 13%; p <0.001), more often a history of syncope (14% vs 7%; p = 0.016), and more extreme hypertrophy (maximal wall thickness ≥30 mm, 7% vs 1%; p <0.001). G- probands were more symptomatic (New York Heart Association ≥II, 73% vs 53%, p <0.001) and had higher left ventricular outflow tract gradients (42 ± 39 vs 29 ± 33 mm Hg, p = 0.001). During 12 ± 9 years of follow-up, G+ status was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.15; p = 0.014), CV mortality (HR 2.82, 95% CI 1.49 to 5.36; p = 0.002), HF-related mortality (HR 6.33, 95% CI 1.79 to 22.41; p = 0.004), and SCD/aborted SCD (HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.23 to 6.71; p = 0.015). In conclusion, during long-term follow-up, patients with G+ HC are at increased risk of all-cause death, CV death, HF-related death, and SCD/aborted SCD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiac Myosins / genetics
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / genetics*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / mortality
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Cause of Death
  • Cohort Studies
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / epidemiology*
  • Genetic Testing*
  • Genotype
  • Heart Failure / mortality*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Middle Aged
  • Mortality
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Myosin Light Chains / genetics
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • MYH7 protein, human
  • Myosin Light Chains
  • myosin light chain 3, human
  • myosin-binding protein C
  • Cardiac Myosins
  • Myosin Heavy Chains