Does quantitative microvolt T-wave alternans level correlate with sudden cardiac death risk factors in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Quantitative microvolt T-wave alternans levels are significantly elevated in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients with major risk factors for sudden cardiac death, suggesting its potential utility as an arrhythmia risk stratification tool.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have elevated risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Our study aimed to quantitatively characterize microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA), a potential arrhythmia risk stratification tool, in this HCM patient population. METHODS: TWA was analyzed with the quantitative modified moving average (MMA) in 132 HCM patients undergoing treadmill exercise testing, grouped according to Maron score risk factors as high-risk (H-Risk, n=67,), or low-risk (L-Risk, n=65, without these risk factors). RESULTS: TWA levels were much higher for the H-Risk than for the L-Risk group (101.40±75.61 vs. 54.35±46.26μV; p<0.0001). A 53μV cut point, set by receiver operator characteristic (ROC), identified H-Risk patients (82% sensitivity, 69% specificity). CONCLUSIONS: High TWA levels were found for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients. Abnormal TWA associated with major risk factors for SCD: non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter (p=0.001), family history of SCD (p=0.006), septal thickness ≥30mm (p<0.001); and inadequate blood pressure response to effort (p=0.04).
Antunes et al. (2016) studied this question.