title: Cardiac involvement in patients with spinal muscular atrophies.
abstract: The spinal muscular atrophies (SMAs) include a group of disorders characterized by progressive weakness of the lower motor neurons. Several types of SMAs have been described based on age onset of clinical features: Acute infantile (SMA type I), chronic infantile (SMA type II), chronic juvenile (SMA type III), and adult onset (SMA type IV) forms. The incidence is about 1:6,000 live births with a carrier frequency of 1:40 for the severe form and 1:80 for the juvenile form. The mortality and/or morbidity rates of SMAs are inversely correlated with the age at onset. SMAs are believed to only affect skeletal muscles; however, new data on SMA mice models suggest they may also impact the heart. Aim of the study was to retrospectively examine the cardiological records of 37 type molecularly confirmed II/III SMA patients, aged 6 to 65 years, in order to evaluate the onset and evolution of the cardiac involvement in these disorders. All patients had a standard ECG and a routine echocardiography. The parameters analysed were the following: Heart rate (HR), PQ interval, PQ segment, Cardiomyopathic Index (ratio QT/PQs), ventricular and supraventricular ectopic beats, pauses > or = 2,5 msec, ventricle diameters, wall and septum thickness, ejection fraction, fiber shortening. The results showed that HR and the other ECG parameters were within the normal limits except for the Cardiomyopathic Index that was higher than the normal values (2,6-4,2) in 2 patients. Left ventricular systolic function was within the normal limits in all patients. A dilation of the left ventricle without systolic dysfunction was observed in only 2 patients, aged respectively 65 and 63 years; however they were hypertensive and/or affected by coronary artery disease. Data here reported contribute to reassure patients and their clinicians that type II/III SMAs do not present heart dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics, Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: Luigia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Passamano
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taglia
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosio
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scutifero
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cecio
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picillo
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viggiano
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Politano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult