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

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.

Conclusions: 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.