Myocardial bridging as a common phenotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has no effect on prognosis.

BACKGROUND

The prognostic significance of myocardial bridging in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains controversial. This investigation sought to evaluate the impact of myocardial bridging on prognosis of patients with HCM.

METHODS

A total of 298 adult patients (73% male, mean age, 53 ± 12 years) with HCM were retrospectively enrolled at Fuwai Hospital from 1999 to 2011. Myocardial bridging was evaluated by coronary angiography. Follow-up data were collected by telephone interviews and mailed questionnaires.

RESULTS

Thirty-four (11%, 34/298) patients were determined with myocardial bridging and the middle of left anterior descending artery was the most frequently involved segment (77%, 26/34). Patients with myocardial bridging were younger than those without bridging (48 ± 9 versus 54 ± 12 years, P = 0.001). During the follow-up of 4.2 ± 2.3 years (range, 0.7-12.2 years), the presence of myocardial bridging was not evidently associated with increased risk for all-cause death (P = 0.54), cardiovascular death (P = 0.60), sudden cardiac death (P = 0.53) and deterioration of heart failure (P = 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial bridging was a relatively common morphological component of HCM but not a predictor for adverse clinical outcomes.