title: Clinical significance of tissue Doppler imaging in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A transmitral E/septal Ea ratio > or =15 is a predictor of adverse outcome in cardiac disease, so it was hypothesized that a septal E/Ea >/=15 would predict the risk of adverse outcome, including sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), cardiac arrest, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) discharge, or sudden death (SD) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group comprised 96 consecutive patients with HCM (median age 53 years) who completed all noninvasive tests for risk stratification. The endpoint of the study was defined as death, cardiac arrest, documented sustained VT, or ICD-discharge. The median follow-up was 20.6 months. All patients were alive at the end of follow-up, although 8 patients had reached the endpoint during the study period. The variables that were predictive of adverse clinical outcome were family history of premature SD (p=0.03), syncope (p<0.001), maximum wall thickness > or =3 cm (p=0.02), and septal E/Ea > or =15 (p<0.001). In a stepwise multivariable model the only independent prognostic indicator was a septal E/Ea > or =15 (relative risk 0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.2-0.58, p<0.001). The cumulative event-free survival rate was 78.9% in patients with septal E/Ea > or =15, and 100% in patients with septal E/Ea <15 (p=0.0003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Septal E/Ea > or =15 predicts patients with HCM who are at risk of sustained VT, cardiac arrest, ICD-discharge, or SD. (Circ J 2007; 71: 897 - 903).
authors.affiliation: First Cardiology Department, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Stilp. Kiriakidi 1, GR-54637 Thessaloniki, Greece. efthymos@med.auth.gr
authors.forename: Georgios K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Efthimiadis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannakoulas
authors.forename: Despina G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Parcharidou
authors.forename: Haralambos I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Karvounis
authors.forename: Soterios T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mochlas
authors.forename: Ioannis H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Styliadis
authors.forename: Christodoulos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Periklis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kounatiadis
authors.forename: Christodoulos I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Pliakos
authors.forename: Georgios E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Parcharidis
authors.forename: Georgios E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Louridas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology