Comparison of the clinical features of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy versus asymmetric septal hypertrophy in Korea.
BACKGROUND
We sought to test whether patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (APH) have different clinical features compared to those with typical asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH).


METHODS
Among 32,534 patients who underwent routine echocardiography at Asan Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2001, 305 patients (0.9%), who were finally diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP), were evaluated. The type of HCMP was classified according to the echocardiographic findings.


RESULTS
ASH was the most frequent type (n=160, 53%, group I), and APH was the second most frequent (n=91, 30%, group II). Mean age (60.8 +/- 10 vs. 48.2 +/- 14 years, p<0.001) and prevalence of hypertension (32% vs. 19%, p=0.022) were significantly higher in group II than in group I. Family history of HCMP (4.4% vs. 0% p=0.043) and sudden cardiac death (8.8% vs. 1.1% p=0.014) was more prevalent in group I. During the follow-up period of 32.0 +/- 37.2 months, cardiac events occurred at a significantly higher rate in group I (25.5% vs. 8.8%, p=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
APH comprises a significant proportion of HCMP in Korea and patients with APH show different clinical features compared to those with ASH.
Yang
Hyun Suk
HS
Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Song
Jae-Kwan
JK
Song
Jong-Min
JM
Kang
Duk-Hyun
DH
Lee
Cheol Whan
CW
Hong
Myeong-Ki
MK
Kim
Jae-Joong
JJ
Park
Seong-Wook
SW
Park
Seung-Jung
SJ
D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies