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Published on: June 20, 2025
Cardiomyopathy in Genetic Aortic Diseases
Laura Muiño-Mosquera1,2, Julie De Backer2,3
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Insights
Genetic aortic diseases involve aortic aneurysms or dissection due to genetic defects. This review focuses on myocardial disease and arrhythmias in Marfan syndrome, a key genetic aortic condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Thoracic Aortic Disease
- Connective Tissue Disorders
Background:
- Genetic aortic diseases, including Marfan syndrome, are linked to aortic aneurysms and dissection, posing significant mortality risks.
- These conditions are part of heritable thoracic aortic disease, encompassing cases with family history but unidentified genetic causes.
- Aortic valve and atrioventricular valve abnormalities are common, necessitating vigilant management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current data on myocardial disease in Marfan syndrome using human studies and mouse models.
- To elaborate on the phenotypic presentations of Marfan syndrome in pediatric and adult populations.
- To discuss the occurrence and implications of arrhythmias in Marfan syndrome and briefly touch upon other genetic aortic diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of human studies investigating myocardial disease in Marfan syndrome.
- Analysis of insights from mouse models of Marfan syndrome.
- Synthesis of clinical data on phenotypic presentations and arrhythmias.
Main Results:
- Fibrillin-1 variants in Marfan syndrome are associated with myocardial dysfunction and arrhythmias.
- Phenotypic manifestations vary between childhood and adulthood.
- Arrhythmias contribute to morbidity and mortality in Marfan syndrome patients.
Conclusions:
- Myocardial involvement and arrhythmias are significant clinical concerns in Marfan syndrome.
- Understanding these manifestations is crucial for patient management and prognosis.
- Further research into other genetic aortic diseases is warranted.
Abstract:
Genetic aortic diseases are a group of illnesses characterized by aortic aneurysms or dissection in the presence of an underlying genetic defect. They are part of the broader spectrum of heritable thoracic aortic disease, which also includes those cases of aortic aneurysm or dissection with a positive family history but in whom no genetic cause is identified. Aortic disease in these conditions is a major cause of mortality, justifying clinical and scientific emphasis on the aorta. Aortic valve disease and atrioventricular valve abnormalities are known as important additional manifestations that require careful follow-up and management. The archetype of genetic aortic disease is Marfan syndrome, caused by pathogenic variants in the Fibrillin-1 gene. Given the presence of fibrillin-1 microfibers in the myocardium, myocardial dysfunction and associated arrhythmia are conceivable and have been shown to contribute to morbidity and mortality in patients with Marfan syndrome. In this review, we will discuss data on myocardial disease from human studies as well as insights obtained from the study of mouse models of Marfan syndrome. We will elaborate on the various phenotypic presentations in childhood and in adults and on the topic of arrhythmia. We will also briefly discuss the limited data available on other genetic forms of aortic disease.
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