Elastic aortic properties in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a single center echocardiographic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE : Previous studies re - vealed that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients have impaired aortic elastic properties with contrasting data about aortic dimensions. We aimed to extend our knowledge about this topic, considering tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and tissue strain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 HCM patients and 25 healthy volunteers matched for age and sex were enrolled.They underwent transthoracic echocardiography to measure aortic dimensions at four levels (Valsalva sinuses, sinotubular junction, tubular tract, aortic arch), elastic prop - erties (i.e., distensibility, stiffness, M-mode strain, tissue strain), and TDI aortic wall veloci - ties (S', E', A' waves). RESULTS: Aortic dimensions differed between the two groups only at sinotubular junction (18 ± 6 vs. 15 ± 3 mm/m 2 ; p = 0.039) and aortic arch levels (19 ± 5 vs. 11 ± 8 mm/m 2 ; p < 0.001). Aortic stiff - ness was significantly higher among patients (16.4 ± 23.2 vs. 5.9 ± 3.4; p = 0.034), andTDI waves greater(S':5.2±1.9vs.8.0±2.7cm/s, p<0.001;E': -5.3 ± 2.4 vs. -7.2 ± 2.7 cm/s, p = 0.012; A': -5.3 ± 1.6 vs. -8.6 ± 4.5 cm/s, p= 0.002) .M-mode and tis - sue strains, and aortic distensibility did not reach statistical significance, although show - ing a tendency to altered values in the HCM group . CONCLUSIONS: Patients affected by HCM show a larger aorta and altered aortic elastic properties compared with healthy volunteers. These findings could help to investigate treat - ment response and prognosis of these alter - ations.