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  • Yield of Serial Evaluation ...
    te Riele, Anneline S.J.M., MD; James, Cynthia A., PhD; Rastegar, Neda, MD; Bhonsale, Aditya, MD; Murray, Brittney, MS; Tichnell, Crystal, MGC; Judge, Daniel P., MD; Bluemke, David A., MD, PhD; Zimmerman, Stefan L., MD; Kamel, Ihab R., MD, PhD; Calkins, Hugh, MD; Tandri, Harikrishna, MD

    Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 07/2014, Volume: 64, Issue: 3
    Journal Article

    Abstract Background Incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) complicate family screening. Objectives The objective of the present study was to determine the optimal approach to longitudinal follow-up regarding: 1) screening interval; and 2) testing strategy in at-risk relatives of ARVD/C patients. Methods We included 117 relatives (45% male, age 33.3 ± 16.3 years) from 64 families who were at risk of developing ARVD/C by virtue of their familial predisposition (72% mutation carriers 92% plakophilin-2; 28% first-degree relatives of a mutation-negative proband). Subjects were evaluated by electrocardiography (ECG), Holter monitoring, signal-averaged ECG, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Disease progression was defined as the development of a new criterion by the 2010 Task Force Criteria (not the “Hamid criteria”) at last follow-up that was absent at enrollment. Results At first evaluation, 43 subjects (37%) fulfilled an ARVD/C diagnosis according to the 2010 Task Force Criteria. Among the remaining 74 subjects (63%), 11 of 37 (30%) with complete re-evaluation experienced disease progression during 4.1 ± 2.3 years of follow-up. Electrical progression (n = 10 27%, including by ECG 14%, Holter monitoring 11%, or signal-averaged ECG 14%) was more frequently observed than structural progression (n = 1 3% on CMR). All 5 patients (14%) with clinical ARVD/C diagnosis at last follow-up had an abnormal ECG or Holter monitor recording, and the only patient with an abnormal CMR already had an abnormal ECG at enrollment. Conclusions Over a mean follow-up of 4 years, our study showed that: 1) almost one-third of at-risk relatives have electrical progression; 2) structural progression is rare; and 3) electrical abnormalities precede detectable structural changes. This information could be valuable in determining family screening protocols.