"Malignant" Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Identifies Subjects at High Risk for Progression to Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction, Heart Failure, and Death: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)

Abstract

Background: As heart failure (HF)-associated morbidity and mortality continue to escalate, enhanced focus on prevention is increasingly important. "Malignant" left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH): LVH combined with an elevated cardiac biomarker reflecting either injury (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T), or strain (amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) has predicted accelerated progression to HF. We sought to determine whether malignant LVH identified community-dwelling adults initially free of cardiovascular disease at high risk of asymptomatic decline in LV ejection fraction or a clinical cardiovascular event.

Methods and results: A total of 4985 of 6814 individuals without prevalent cardiovascular disease underwent baseline cardiac magnetic resonance for LVH in combination with measurement of plasma high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide as part of MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) and were subsequently divided into 4 groups: (1) No LVH, no elevated biomarkers (n=2206; 44.3%); (2) No LVH, ≥1 elevated biomarkers (n=2275; 45.7%); (3) LVH, no elevated biomarkers (n=153; 3.0%); and (4) LVH, ≥1 elevated biomarkers (malignant LVH; n=351; 7.0%). Cardiac magnetic resonance was repeated 10 years later (n=2831) for assessment of LV ejection fraction <50%. Median follow-up was 12.2 years. Malignant LVH was associated with 7.0-, 3.5-, and 2.6-fold adjusted increases in incidence of HF, cardiovascular death, and asymptomatic LV dysfunction, respectively, versus group 1. New-onset HF was predominately HF with reduced ejection fraction (9.5-fold increase).

Conclusions: Malignant LVH is predictive of progression to asymptomatic LV dysfunction, HF (particularly HF with reduced ejection fraction), and cardiovascular death. Consequently, malignant LVH represents a high-risk phenotype among individuals without known cardiovascular disease, which should be targeted for increased surveillance and more-aggressive therapies.

Keywords: N‐terminal pro‐B‐type; heart failure; left ventricular dysfunction; left ventricular hypertrophy; mortality; troponin T.