Age-related survival after alcohol septal ablation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Since its introduction, alcohol septal ablation (PTSMA) was discussed as treatment option only in elderly symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). We report on long-term follow-up after PTSMA with respect to patient's age. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between May 2000 and June 2017, we treated 952 consecutive HOCM patients with PTSMA; 133 (14.0%) patients were <40 years of age (Group A; mean age 30.3 ± 7.6; 26.3% female), 422 (44.3%) patients were between ≥40 and <60 years of age (Group B; mean age 50.6 ± 5.8; 27.0% female), and 397 (41.7%) patients were ≥60 years of age (Group C; 69.7 ± 6.1; 60.2% female). After PTSMA, need of pacemaker implantation was lowest in Group A (3.8%, P < 0.01 each) compared with Group B (9.2%) and Group C (14.1%) during hospital stay. One patient in Groups A and C died during hospital stay, each. Follow-up was longer in Group A (7.4 ± 5.5 years) compared with Group C (5.6 ± 4.8 years; P < 0.001) and comparable with Group B (6.5 ± 5.1 years). Mortality was highest in Group C (13.1%; P < 0.0001 each) compared with Group A (1.5%) and Group B (4.3%). In Group A, no patient died from cardiac reason, whereas five patients died from cardiac reasons in Group B and seven patients in Group C. Sudden cardiac death was not observed in Group A, whereas three patients in Group B and one patient in Group C suffered sudden cardiac death. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality after PTSMA is predominantly due to non-cardiac reasons and mainly observed in elderly patients. Survival in young patients is not affected by cardiac mortality. In experienced centres with careful patient selection, PTSMA is safe in young patients.

Sex-related differences in symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy - Time for a new definition?

INTRODUCTION: Sex-related differences in diagnosis and treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) are still unclear. Therefore, we analyzed baseline characteristics of symptomatic patients with indication for alcohol septal ablation (PTSMA) with respect to gender. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 05/2000 and 06/2017 indication for PTSMA was seen in 1014 patients (420 (41.4%) women and 594 (58.6%) men). Women were older (61.4 ± 15.0 vs. 51.8 ± 13.6 years; p < 0.00001) and suffered more often from dyspnea NYHA III/IV (81.4% vs. 67.7%; p < 0.001), whereas angina pectoris and syncopes were comparable. Echocardiographic gradients were comparable in women (66.4 ± 39.1 mmHg at rest and 106.5 ± 46.6 mmHg at Valsalva) and men (62.7 ± 38.8 mmHg at rest and 103.7 ± 42.7 mmHg at Valsalva). Women had smaller absolute diameter of the left atrium (LA) (44.4 ± 6.9 vs. 47.2 ± 6.5 mm; p < 0.0001), septal thickness (IVS) (20.5 ± 4.1 vs. 21.4 ± 4.5 mm; p < 0.01), and left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPW) (12.7 ± 2.8 vs. 13.6 ± 2.9 mm; p < 0.0001). But, indexed for BSA the relationship reversed in LA (25.2 ± 4.3 mm/m2 in women vs. 23.1 ± 3.4 mm/m2), IVS (11.7 ± 2.7 mm/m2 in women vs. 10.6 ± 2.5 mm/m2) and LVPW (7.3 ± 1.7 mm/m2 in women vs. 6.7 ± 1.6 mm/m2), p < 0.00001 each. CONCLUSION: Women with HOCM and indication for PTSMA are older and more symptomatic with advanced disease progression. Reconsideration of disease definition and awareness maybe necessary in order to avoid delayed diagnosis and treatment of HOCM in women.

Survival After Alcohol Septal Ablation in Patients With Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-induced infarction for treatment of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) was discussed as a risk factor for increased cardiac mortality during follow-up. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to report on long-term survival after echo-guided alcohol septal ablation (percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation [PTSMA]) in symptomatic patients with HOCM. METHODS: Between May 2000 and June 2017, PTSMA with alcohol injection was performed in 952 patients (age 55.7 ± 14.9 years; 59.2% men; 73.3% New York Heart Association functional class III or IV; 50.3% syncope; 10.3% sudden cardiac death in family). Clinical follow-up after 6.0 ± 5.0 years was achieved in all patients. RESULTS: We injected 2.1 ± 0.4 cc of alcohol. Maximal creatine kinase rise was 872 ± 489 U/l. Two (0.21%) patients died 3 and 33 days after ablation. Permanent pacemaker was implanted in 100 (10.50%) patients. Echo gradients were acutely reduced from 63.9 ± 38.2 mm Hg to 33.6 ± 29.8 mm Hg at rest and from 104.6 ± 44.0 mm Hg to 56.5 ± 41.0 mm Hg at Valsalva (p < 0.0001, each). During follow-up, 164 (17.2%) patients underwent reablation due to the planned staged procedure, 18 (1.9%) patients underwent surgical myectomy, and 49 (5.10%) patients underwent cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. Seventy patients died: causes of death were identified as noncardiovascular in 50, stroke related in 6, and cardiac in 14 patients. Estimated 5-year survival was 95.8%, estimated 5-year survival free of cardiovascular events was 98.6%, and an estimated 5-year survival free of cardiac events was 98.9%. Corresponding values at 10 years were 88.3%, 96.5%, and 97.0%, and at 15 years were 79.7%, 92.3%, and 96.5%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, PTSMA could be proofed as a safe procedure with ongoing symptomatic improvement and excellent long-term survival. Therefore, PTSMA is a reasonable alternative to surgical myectomy in HOCM.