Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Late Potentials and Other Prognostic Markers

Abstract

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an autosomal dominant genetic disease considered the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in individuals under 35 years old, especially the athletes. This study aimed to investigate the association between the presence of late potentials and a family history of sudden death, syncope, and complex ventricular arrhythmias on patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A case series study was carried out from March 2001 to December 2002, including 22 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy according to transthoracic echocardiogram criteria. Patients on a cardiac pacemaker, right bundle branch block, cardiac transplant, and under no possibilities to realize the exams were excluded. The results showed that asymmetric septal hypertrophy was the most common type (73%), 63% had a positive familial history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 55% sudden cardiac death, and 23% syncope. Also, complex ventricular arrhythmias were detected in 14% and late potentials in 23% of patients. According to this study, the presence of late potentials was not associated with familial sudden death, syncope, and complex ventricular arrhythmias.

Keywords: cardiogenic syncope; familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; late potentials; prognostic marker; sudden death.

Figure 1. Patients' echocardiographic characteristics

SAH: septal asymmetrical hypertrophy; MVH: medium-ventricular hypertrophy; CH: concentric hypertrophy; SAH/RV: septal asymmetrical hypertrophy + right ventricular hypertrophy