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Ventricular arrhythmias and left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Beatriz Piva e Mattos1, Marco Antonio Rodrigues Torres, Valéria Centeno de Freitas

  • 1Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre1; Faculdade de Medicina - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul2, Porto Alegre, RS – Brazil. bpmattos@cardiol.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|April 13, 2013
PubMed

Insights

In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), greater left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) measured by maximum wall thickness (MWT) and body mass index (BMI) is linked to increased ventricular arrhythmias, including Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT). This finding highlights key indicators for arrhythmia risk in HCM patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
  • The extent of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) may play a role in the development of these arrhythmias.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between ventricular arrhythmias in HCM patients and the degree of LVH.
  • To correlate arrhythmias detected by Holter ECG with echocardiographic measures of LVH (maximum wall thickness - MWT) and body mass index (BMI).

Main Methods:

  • Fifty-four HCM patients underwent 24-hour ECG-Holter and echocardiography.
  • LVH was assessed using MWT and BMI.
  • Ventricular arrhythmias were categorized into two levels: Level I (extrasystoles) and Level II (Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia - NSVT).

Main Results:

  • Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT) occurred in 13 patients (24%).
  • Patients with NSVT showed a higher frequency of MWT > 21 mm and BMI-indexed LV mass (LLLV) > 144 g/m² compared to those with extrasystoles.
  • ROC curve analysis defined cut-off values for MWT and LLLV, with NSVT being more prevalent in patients exceeding these thresholds.

Conclusions:

  • Ventricular arrhythmias in HCM patients are associated with the degree of LVH.
  • Echocardiographic assessment of MWT and BMI are valuable indicators for predicting ventricular arrhythmias in HCM.
Abstract

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