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Phenotyping heart failure by genetics and associated conditions
Joshua Wong1, Stacey Peters1, Thomas H Marwick1
1Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, PO Box 6492, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
Insights
Genetic testing aids in identifying specific heart failure causes and implications, though its diagnostic yield is modest. Future research should explore genetic polymorphisms
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Precision Medicine
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a complex, heterogeneous condition.
- Genetic testing identifies specific variants linked to HF phenotypes like dilated, arrhythmogenic right ventricular, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies.
- These genetic findings have direct treatment implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of genetic testing in refining heart failure diagnoses beyond traditional imaging methods.
- To highlight the clinical significance of identified genetic variants in specific heart failure subtypes.
- To discuss the challenges and future directions in genetic analysis for heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on genetic testing in heart failure.
- Analysis of diagnostic yield and clinical utility of genetic testing for cardiomyopathies.
- Discussion of genotype-phenotype correlations and treatment implications.
Main Results:
- Genetic testing can identify specific causative variants in a subset of heart failure patients.
- Diagnostic yield varies, with many rare variants showing incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity.
- Environmental factors and comorbidities significantly contribute to HF heterogeneity.
Conclusions:
- Genetic testing offers incremental phenotypic distinctions in heart failure, complementing imaging.
- While diagnostic yield is modest, identified variants can guide targeted therapies.
- Future research should focus on the cumulative effects of genetic polymorphisms and environmental interactions in HF development.
Abstract:
Heart failure is a highly heterogeneous disease, and genetic testing may allow phenotypic distinctions that are incremental to those obtainable from imaging. Advances in genetic testing have allowed for the identification of deleterious variants in patients with specific heart failure phenotypes (dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), and many of these have specific treatment implications. The diagnostic yield of genetic testing in heart failure is modest, and many rare variants are associated with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. Environmental factors and co-morbidities have a large role in the heterogeneity of the heart failure phenotype. Future endeavours should concentrate on the cumulative impact of genetic polymorphisms in the development of heart failure.
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