High-sensitive cardiac Troponin T and NT-proBNP are associated with the left ventricular apical thickness in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Background: Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) is a subtype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The expression level of high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTNT) and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) in AHCM patients, and these relationships between echocardiography parameters were still unclear. Methods: We retrospectively screened AHCM patients between January 2019 and December 2021 in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University. The relationship between the level of hs-cTNT, NT-proBNP and echocardiography parameters were analyzed. The risk factors for elevated hs-cTNT and NT-proBNP level were investigated with linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 267 AHCM patients were enrolled. They were divided into hs-cTNT normal (129, 48.3%) and abnormal (138, 51.7%) group. Compared with hs-cTNT normal group, hs-cTNT abnormal group were elder (68.3±11.6 vs. 63.8±10.6, P=0.001); with higher rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) (41.3% vs. 17.8%, P<0.001) and higher level of NT-proBNP concentration (752.0 [343.8-1345.5] vs. 249.0 [104.0-541.0], P<0.001). For echocardiography parameters, hs-cTNT abnormal patients have thicker interventricular septum (IVS) (11.6±2.0 vs. 11.0±1.7, P=0.02), thicker left ventricular apical (LVA) (16.9±3.0 vs. 14.9±2.3, P<0.001) and larger left atrium diameter (LAD) (45.9±6.6 vs. 42.4±5.1, P<0.001). LVA was independently correlated with both the level of hs-cTNT and NT-proBNP (hs-cTNT r=0.224, P=0.143; NT-proBNP r=0.370, P<0.001). Linear regression analysis revealed that LVA was independent risk factor of both the elevated hs-cTNT and NT-proBNP level. Conclusion: More than half of AHCM patients had abnormal hs-cTNT level. LVA was positively and independently correlated with the level of hs-cTNT and NT-proBNP.