Genetic Evaluation of Late-Onset Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: An Autobiographical Case Report

Abstract

Cardiomyopathy, also known as a pathology with a cardiovascular cause, can be further differentiated into multiple categories including genetic. Strong correlations between genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins and presentation of cardiomyopathies have been made. This case report describes the clinical diagnosis of my late-onset hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which was brought upon by symptoms of chest pain and palpitations that started approximately two years ago and had mostly gone unnoticed during this period. As a geneticist, I decided to undergo genetic test upon diagnosis. These tests found a heterozygous variant of uncertain significance (VUS) in the ALPK3 gene, c.399dup (p.Gly134ArgfsTer30), and a heterozygous c.7552G>A (p.Val2518Ile) VUS in the desmoplakin (DSP) gene. This autobiographical case report hopes to shed light on the importance of genetic screening in the search for the etiology of clinical symptoms.

Keywords: autobiographical case report; cardiomyopathy; genetics; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; late onset.

Figure 1. EKG showing sinus bradycardia of 58 bpm with sinus arrhythmia. Arrows indicate premature atrial contractions

EKG, electrocardiogram.