Characteristics of late gadolinium enhancement in children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in children with idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was performed consecutively in 71 children with idiopathic HCM (12.8 ± 4.1 years old; 46 males, 25 females) from January 2006 to January 2012. Left ventricular (LV) parameters indexed by the body surface area were calculated, and LGE was carried out. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated, and differences in the two groups were compared via a log-rank test. Results: Of the total number of children with HCM, 9 patients (12.7%) had concentric LV hypertrophy, and 2 of these 9 patients progressed into an end-stage phase. The prevalence of LGE was 73%. The LV mass index of the children with HCM subjected to LGE was greater than that of the other group[(112.7 ± 57.9) g/m² vs. (70.3 ± 37.4) g/m², t = 2.71, P = 0.025], but their maximal LV wall thickness index was not significantly different [(19.4 ± 6.3) vs. (18.1 ± 7.9) mm/m², t = 0.69, P = 0.513]. Follow-up (2.4 ± 1.6 years) revealed that LGE was associated with the adverse events in children with HCM (log-rank, X² = 4.77, P = 0.029). Conclusions: The prevalence of LGE in childhood HCM was similar to that in adult HCM. Children with HCM subjected to LGE likely suffered from adverse events. (authors)