[Biventriculographic and clinicopathologic evaluation of apical hypertrophy: with reference to asymmetrical septal hypertrophy with hypertension]

To clarify the pathogenesis of apical hypertrophy with asymmetrical septal hypertrophy (ASH), left ventriculography in the right anterior oblique projection (LVG), biventriculography (BVG), and endomyocardial biopsy of the right ventricle were performed for patients with ASH. The patients were categorized in four groups according to ECG, LVG and BVG. Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were divided into two subsets; (A) Apical hypertrophy group (AH: nine patients), with ECG showing left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and giant negative T waves (GNT), and with LV configurations showing the S or SR form at end-diastole on LVG. (B) Non-apical hypertrophy group (non-AH: 12 patients), with ECG showing LVH without GNT and LV configuration showing R form at end-diastole on LVG (cf: Fig. 1). Patients with ASH and hypertension (ASH-HT) were also divided into two subsets; (A) AH: seven patients. (B) non-AH: nine patients. Analysis of LVG and BVG: In HCM, the septal configuration showed the TS X S form in both two subset groups. The septal configuration in ASH-HT was divided into the NH form, which was clearly distinguishable from the septal configuration in HCM, and the TS X S form as in cases with HCM. In both HCM and ASH-HT, the diastolic thickness of the anterior apical wall was significantly thicker in all patients with AH than that in non AH. In HCM, the diastolic thickness of the septum and the percent systolic thickening did not significantly differ between AH and non-AH groups. In ASH-HT, the NH form showed similar diastolic thickness of the septum and % systolic thickening in AH and non-AH groups. On the other hand, the TS X S form in non-AH group showed greater thickness and lower % systolic thickening similar to those of HCM. Histological analysis of endomyocardial biopsy; In HCM, the transverse diameters of the myocytes and the biopsy scores did not differ significantly between AH and non-AH groups. In ASH-HT, the TS X S form in non-AH group had longer diameters and higher biopsy scores similar to those of HCM compared to the NH form in AH group. In conclusion, both HCM and ASH-HT may have apical hypertrophy manifested by giant negative T waves in the EKG and spade like form of left ventriculogram. In addition, apical hypertrophy in ASH-HT with the NH form of septal configuration seemed to be caused by hypertension.