Are abnormal exercise test results associated with lower transplant-free survival and sudden cardiac death in childhood hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Abnormal exercise testing, particularly ischemic or abnormal blood pressure responses, is associated with lower transplant-free survival and increased SCD risk in childhood HCM, supporting its use in routine risk assessment.
Exercise abnormalities are common in childhood HCM. An abnormal exercise test result was independently associated with lower transplant-free survival, especially in those with an ischemic or abnormal blood pressure response with exercise. Exercise-induced ischemia was also independently associated with SCD events. These findings argue for routine exercise testing in childhood HCM as part of ongoing risk assessment.
Conway et al. (Sun,) studied this question.