Cardiopulmonary exercise test and sudden cardiac death risk in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

A multicentre study published in the Heart Journal investigates the possible ability of cardiopulmonary exercise test in improving contemporary strategies for Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) risk stratification.

Given that most of the factors associated with the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are also involved in the pathophysiology of exercise limitation, the study followed a total of 623 consecutive outpatients with HCM, from five tertiary Italian HCM centres.

The study found that "the VE/VCO2 slope might improve SCD risk stratification, particularly in those HCM categories classified at low-intermediate SCD risk according to contemporary guidelines".

The article details are the following:

- Title: "Cardiopulmonary exercise test and sudden cardiac death risk in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy"
- Authors: Magrì D, Limongelli G, Re F, Agostoni P, Zachara E, Correale M, Mastromarino V, Santolamazza C, Casenghi M, Pacileo G, Valente F, Musumeci B, Maruotti A, Volpe M, Autore C. - Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
- Published in: Heart. 2016 Apr 15;102(8):602-9

The study can be purchased at the following link: click here