Key result
Asymptomatic carriers of the PLN:c.40_42delAGA variant had a significantly shorter QRS duration (-5.73 ms) compared to asymptomatic non-carriers, suggesting short QRS may offset or postpone disease.
Why the study?
The PLN c.40_42delAGA variant causes dilated and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, but some carriers remain asymptomatic at older ages due to unexplained incomplete penetrance.
What phenotypic and genetic factors are associated with the absence of cardiomyopathy symptoms in PLN:c.40_42delAGA carriers?
Cohort (n=36,339)
What phenotypic and genetic factors are associated with the absence of cardiomyopathy symptoms in PLN:c.40_42delAGA carriers?
Mean Difference: -5.73 (95% CI -9.22–-2.24)
p-value: p=q=0.001
Shorter QRS duration is associated with the absence of cardiomyopathy symptoms in PLN:c.40_42delAGA carriers, suggesting it may offset or postpone disease manifestation.
No practice change from QRS findings in PLN carriers; leaves open ECG markers as potential modifiers needing validation.
The c.40_42delAGA variant in the phospholamban gene (PLN) has been associated with dilated and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, with up to 70% of carriers experiencing a major cardiac event by age 70. However, there are carriers who remain asymptomatic at older ages. To understand the mechanisms behind this incomplete penetrance, we evaluated potential phenotypic and genetic modifiers in 74 PLN:c.40_42delAGA carriers identified in 36,339 participants of the Lifelines population cohort. Asymptomatic carriers ( N = 48) showed shorter QRS duration (− 5.73 ms, q value = 0.001) compared to asymptomatic non-carriers, an effect we could replicate in two different independent cohorts. Furthermore, symptomatic carriers showed a higher correlation ( r Pearson = 0.17) between polygenic predisposition to higher QRS (PGS QRS ) and QRS ( p value = 1.98 × 10 –8 ), suggesting that the effect of the genetic variation on cardiac rhythm might be increased in symptomatic carriers. Our results allow for improved clinical interpretation for asymptomatic carriers, while our approach could guide future studies on genetic diseases with incomplete penetrance.
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Lopera-Maya et al. (2023) conducted a cohort in Cardiomyopathy (PLN:c.40_42delAGA carriers) (n=36,339). PLN:c.40_42delAGA asymptomatic carrier status vs. Asymptomatic non-carriers was evaluated on QRS duration (MD -5.73 ms, 95% CI -9.22 to -2.24, p=q=0.001). Asymptomatic carriers of the PLN:c.40_42delAGA variant had a significantly shorter QRS duration (-5.73 ms) compared to asymptomatic non-carriers, suggesting short QRS may offset or postpone disease.
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