Trabeculation exhibits highly varied presentations, whereas noncompaction (NC) is a specific disease entity based arithmetically on wall thickness. We aimed to evaluate the clinical implications of trabeculation and its relevance to outcomes. A total of 296 patients (age 63 ± 12 years; 64% men) with trabeculation who underwent echocardiography were retrospectively identified between January 2011 and December 2012. Analyses were conducted on distinguished trabeculation which was divided into NC (maximum noncompacted/compacted ratio ≥ 2.0) or hypertrabeculation (HT) (ratio < 2.0). We evaluated features of trabeculation and explored cardiovascular (CV) outcome events (coronary revascularization, hospitalization for worsening heart failure (HF), stroke, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), and CV death). Over a mean of 4.2 years, CV outcome events occurred in 122 (41%) patients who were older and exhibited an increased frequency of diabetes mellitus, stroke, implantation of ICD, HF and dilated cardiomyopathy. The frequencies of NC or HT, the trabeculation ratio and its manifestation were similar among patients with and without events. NC/HT with concomitant apical hypocontractility and worsening systolic function were univariable predictors of adverse events. On multivariable analysis, concomitant apical hypocontractility on NC/HT remained significant (hazard ratio 8.94, 95% confidence interval 2.9-27.2, p < 0.001) together with old age, HF and increased E/e' ratio. NC/HT with concomitant apical hypocontractility provided clues about the current medical illness and aided in risk stratification.
Keywords: Echocardiography; Hypertrabeculation; Noncompaction; Trabeculation.