title: Tissue doppler imaging and plasma BNP levels to assess the prognosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to sudden death, heart failure and stroke due to atrial fibrillation are important in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The aim of the present study was to determine whether Doppler tissue imaging findings and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, which are widely used for risk stratification in several cardiovascular diseases, are useful for risk stratification in patients with HCM in a regional cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirty patients (82 men; mean age, 60 ± 16 years) with HCM were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty end points were observed during a mean follow-up period of 3.7 ± 1.7 years. Septal E/e' ratios and BNP levels in patients with events were higher than those in patients without events (17.4 ± 6.3 vs 10.6 ± 4.3, P < .0001, and 441 ± 304 vs 202 ± 174 pg/mL, P < .0001, respectively). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, a high septal E/e' ratio, in addition to a history of syncope and documentation of atrial fibrillation, was a significant predictor of combined end points. In contrast, plasma BNP levels were not a significant predictor of combined end points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment by Doppler tissue imaging is useful for further risk stratification of patients with HCM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi, Japan. kitaokah@kochi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Chiyo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Naohito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Yoshinori L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Doi
mesh_terms: D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain