Invasive quantitative assessment of coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Marques Antunes M M A , Barbas Albuquerque F B A , Cacela D C , Ramos R R , Pereira Da Silva T P S , Mendonca T M , Almeida Morais L A M , Garcia Bras P G B , Cardoso I C , Viegas J V , Oliveira E O , Santana A S , Cruz Ferreira R C F , Aguiar Rosa S A R , Fiarresga A F 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Patients (P) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) commonly suffer from coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) - the affection of function/structure of the coronary microvasculature. Invasive assessment of CMD through thermodilution methods allows for the calculation of coronary flow reserve (CFR) and index of microvascular resistance (IMR). These methods, while extensively studied in the context of non-obstructive coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, have not been thoroughly validated in HCM P.

Objectives
To invasively assess the presence of CMD in P with HCM and to determine clinical predictors of invasively assessed CMD.

Methods
In a prospective single-centre study, we opportunistically recruited consecutive adult P with an established diagnosis of HCM with or without LVOTO that had an indication to pursue elective coronarography – such as pre-procedural evaluation for alcoholic septal ablation (ASA) or exclusion of epicardial coronary artery disease. P characteristics and coronary hemodynamic invasive assessment data were extracted. CFR was calculated as the ratio between resting and hyperemia mean transit times (TmnRest;TmnHyper). IMR was calculated as the ratio between distal coronary pressure (Pd) and the inverse of TmnHyper (IMR=Pd/TmnHyper-1). A cutoff of ≤22.0 in IMR, an ≥d 2 in CFR was used. We excluded P with end-stage HCM (LV EF &lt;50% and/or or left ventricular wall thinning), or with epicardial coronary artery disease. Continuous variables were reported as mean ± SD or median and IQR depending on data distribution pattern and categorical data as frequencies and percentages. A linear regression model was used to test predictors of IMR and CFR involvement.

Results
25 HCM P with a mean age of 63±10 years were included, 14 (56%) were female. In 20 (80%) of the P the cause for coronary angiography was ASA. All P referred for ASA had LVOTO and were on beta-blocker therapy (Table 1.). Median CFR was 2.5 [1.5-3] and median IMR was 19 [14-22], both within normal range. A total of 13 (44%) P had a reduced CFR and 5 (20%) of P had an increased IMR. 14 P (56%) had an altered CFR or IMR value, with the presence of a functional CMD phenotype in 10 P (40%) (Table 2). Angina was associated with a higher IMR (5.3, 95% CI - 0.05-10, p=0.053) and for each +1 increase in CCS a larger increase in the likelihood of a higher IMR was observed (CCS 1, +7 (95%CI 0.68 – 14); CCS 2, +9 (95%CI 4 – 14); CCS 3, 10 (95%CI 2 – 18)). A similar but non significant trend was observed for higher CCS correlating with lower CFR (Table 3).

Conclusion
In a prospective cohort of HCM P submited to invasive angiographic evaluation 56% had at least one invasive measure compatible with CMD. Angina, and a higher degree of anginal symptoms correlated positively with the presence of higher IMR and therefore with a higher level of CMD. In the future, we intend to correlate these findings with multimodality imaging/clinical outcomes.Patient characteristics and LR results