Progression from NYHA class I to ≥II symptoms in patients with phenotypically mild HCM was associated with a significantly increased risk of MACE (HR 2.79; 95% CI 2.30-3.39).
Cohort (n=2,500)
Hazard Ratio: 2.79 (95% CI 2.3–3.39)
BACKGROUND: Patients with phenotypically mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) do not require symptom management, but may be at an earlier stage in the disease course, with potential to benefit from disease-modifying therapies. However, little is known about the natural history and predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). OBJECTIVES: Using the Sarcomeric Human Cardiomyopathy Registry, we identified predictors of incident MACE and characterized disease progression in phenotypically mild HCM. METHODS: Phenotypically mild HCM was defined as: having shorter disease duration (<10 years since diagnosis or age ≤30 years), no previous MACE, being NYHA functional class I, and having a left ventricular (LV) maximal wall thickness (MWT) <25 mm. These individuals were followed prospectively for the development of symptoms or MACE: atrial fibrillation (AF), malignant ventricular arrhythmia (MVA) (sudden cardiac death, resuscitated arrest, or appropriate defibrillator therapy), heart failure (HF) (cardiac transplantation, LV assist device implantation, LV ejection fraction <35%, or NYHA functional class III or IV symptoms), stroke, or all-cause mortality. Cox regression identified MACE predictors. Linear and latent class mixed models characterized LV remodeling trajectories and risk clusters. RESULTS: Of 2,500 participants with phenotypically mild HCM (mean age 43 years, 31% women) followed for a mean duration of 7 ± 6 years, 534 (21%) developed MACE, including 289 with AF, 69 with MVA, and 193 with HF. Individuals who progressed from NYHA functional class I to ≥ II symptoms during follow-up (n = 585, 23%) were 2.79 times (95% CI: 2.30-3.39 times) more likely to experience MACE. Age at baseline (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.17-1.32 per 10-year increase), body mass index (HR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.21 per 5-kg/m CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 21% of patients with phenotypically mild HCM developed MACE over medium-term follow-up. Older age, symptoms development, and increasing LA diameter, LV hypertrophy, or LVOT gradient associated with MACE, particularly in instances of steeper rate of change. These findings can guide management strategies and inform future studies of disease-modifying therapies.
“These data demonstrate the power of long-term, coordinated, multicenter registries such as SHaRe to identify the driving factors in complex, slowly progressing pathology and identify characteristic features of a range of clinical trajectories. Partnering risk modeling with potential disease-modif...”
A large registry study published in JACC reveals that one in five patients with mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy still develops major adverse cardiovascular events, identifying key risk predictors.
Topriceanu et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Phenotypically mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n=2,500). Progression to NYHA class ≥II symptoms vs. Remaining in NYHA class I was evaluated on Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (HR 2.79, 95% CI 2.30-3.39). Progression from NYHA class I to ≥II symptoms in patients with phenotypically mild HCM was associated with a significantly increased risk of MACE (HR 2.79; 95% CI 2.30-3.39).