Clinical analysis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which evolved into dilated phase during long-term follow-up.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the incidence, clinical features and prognosis of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which evolved into dilated phase HCM. The medical records of 43 patients with HCM followed up for at least 10 years were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: group A consisting of patients with dilated-phase HCM defined by a left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVDD) of 55 mm or more and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 50% obtained by echocardiography, and group B, consisting of patients with HCM that did not evolve into dilated phase HCM. During the mean follow-up of 16.7 years, 10 patients (23.3%) evolved into dilated phase HCM (group A) while the remaining 33 patients (76.7%) did not (group B). Ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurred in 7 of the 10 patients (70.0%) in group A and in 5 of the 33 patients (15.2%) in group B (p < 0.001). An increase in LVDD and decreases in LVEF and SV1 + RV5 in the electrocardiogram were observed during the early phase of the follow-up period in group A, while these changes were gradual in group B. Cardiac death occurred in 5 (50.0%) of the 10 patients in group A and in 2 (6.1%) of the 33 patients in group B (p < 0.001). In conclusion, dilated-phase HCM is characterized by decreases in LVEF and SV + RV5 and an increase in LVDD during the early phase of follow-up period, and is associated with an increased incidence of VT and a poor prognosis.