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Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
R Chetty1, A G Rose1, P J Commerford2
1Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Insights
Autopsy findings reveal that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) frequently co-occurs with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). Further genetic analysis is recommended to explore a potential shared genetic basis for these rare conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a primary cardiac condition.
- Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a rare and severe vascular disorder affecting the lungs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the lung findings in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- To determine the prevalence and significance of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease in HCM cases.
Main Methods:
- Autopsy analysis of lung tissue from 14 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cases.
- Histological examination focusing on pulmonary vessels.
Main Results:
- Six out of 14 (43%) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cases exhibited histological features of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease.
- The observed coexistence suggests a potential association beyond chance.
Conclusions:
- There is a notable association between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease.
- Genetic analysis in PVOD patients is warranted to investigate a possible common genetic etiology with HCM.
Abstract:
An autopsy analysis of the lung findings in 14 cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was undertaken, with particular attention paid to the pulmonary vessels. Six of the 14 cases of HCM showed histological features of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). The coexistence of these two rare conditions appears to be more than a chance association. In view of recent advances in the understanding of the genetic basis for HCM, genetic analysis of patients with PVOD should be performed in order to determine whether there may be a common genetic context for the coexistence of these disorders.
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