Abstract 16562: Subclinical Flow Inefficiencies in Non-Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Subgroups Revealed by 4D Flow Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

Background Patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (nHCM) may exhibit flow inefficiencies despite normal flow profiles on transthoracic echocardiogram. We investigated whether left ventricular (LV) kinetic energy (KE) and hemodynamic forces (HDF) on 4D flow CMR are abnormal in nHCM, and examined the impact of genotype and hypertrophy phenotype on flow profiles.

Methods 90 participants (70 HCM without echocardiographic outflow tract obstruction and 20 healthy controls) underwent 4D flow CMR. Patients were categorized as phenotype positive (P+) if they had LV hypertrophy (≥15mm or ≥13mm with an HCM family history), or phenotype negative (P-) referring to pre-hypertrophic pathogenic sarcomeric variant carriers. LV KE, HDF and transversal/longitudinal HDF ratio were computed from 4D flow CMR.

Results P+ patients and controls were of similar age, but P- were younger. P+, P- and controls had comparable LV ejection fraction on CMR, and LV outflow tract pressure gradients and diastolic velocities on echocardiography (Table 1).

Systolic KE was higher in P+ compared to controls (Table 1, Figure 1). Early diastolic KE was higher in P- than P+, reflecting younger P-, but did not differ between P+ and controls. Late diastolic KE was higher in P+ versus P- and controls.

Systolic HDF ratio was higher in P+ than controls (Table 1, Figure 1). Diastolic HDF and HDF ratio were similar between P+ and controls.

Conclusion Despite comparable flow velocities on echocardiography, nHCM exhibited higher systolic KE and HDF ratio, and late diastolic KE on 4D flow CMR relative to controls. Both the extent and pattern of hypertrophy are important determinants of abnormalities in KE and HDF.