Outcomes of Alcohol Septal Ablation in Younger Patients With Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the safety and outcomes of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in younger patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association guidelines reserve ASA for older patients and patients with serious comorbidities. Data on long-term age-specific outcomes after ASA are scarce.

METHODS: A total of 1,197 patients (mean age 58 ± 14 years) underwent ASA for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Patients were divided into young (≤50 years), middle-age (51 to 64 years), and older (≥65 years) groups.

RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality and pacemaker implantation rates were lower in young compared with older patients (0.3% vs. 2% [p = 0.03] and 8% vs. 16% [p < 0.001], respectively). Ninety-five percent of young patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II at last follow-up. During a mean follow-up period of 5.4 ± 4.2 years, 165 patients (14%) died. Annual mortality rates of young, middle-age, and older patients were 1%, 2%, and 5%, respectively (p < 0.01). Annual adverse arrhythmic event rates were similar in the 3 age groups at about 1% (p = 0.90). Independent predictors of mortality in young patients were age, female sex, and residual left ventricular outflow tract gradient. Additionally, young patients treated with ≥2.5 ml alcohol had a higher all-cause mortality rate (0.6% vs. 1.4% per year in patients treated with <2.5 ml, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: ASA in younger patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was safe and effective for relief of symptoms at long-term follow-up. The authors propose that the indication for ASA can be broadened to younger patients.