HLA and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Summary

This article reports the relationship between immunological genetic factor and the familial occurrence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using HLA as marker of inheritance. 42 subjects (26 males, 16 females) of 6 families were investigated. 19 of them were found to have hypertrophie cardiomyopathy (obstructive 11, non-obstructive 8) confirmed by echocardiogram, with ages ranging from 29–68 years (average 43 years). HLA of the same subjects were studied, 4 families provided information of transmission by HLA antigens, and at least 2 family members were affected by hypertrophie cardiomyopathy. According to the HLA haplotype analysis in affected siblings, [the HLA haplotype of their parents has been shown to be nonrandom in distribution (x² = 4.35,P < 0.05). Thus, there is certain correlation between the HLA haplotype and hypertrophie cardiomyopathy. Our findings show that genetic and familial factors may play an important role in the occurrence of the disease. Whether some HLA haplotype could afford some clue for the early diagnosis of this disease remains to be further investigated.