Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathies at the Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome: Epidemiological, Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Evolutive Aspects

Abstract

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a form of cardiomyopathy that may involve several aspects.The aim of our study is to describe the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and short-term prognostic aspects of this form of cardiomyopathy at the Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out over a four-year period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019. We included in this study, patients admitted to the Cardiology Department of the Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital of Lome, in whom the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was retained at echocardiography in the absence of any other cause that could explain the significant hypertrophy of the walls. Results: The prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies in our study was 0.31%. The mean age of patients was 51.35 ± 15.28 years with a male predominance (sex ratio M/F of 1.22). The majority of patients (60%) were between 45 and 74 years old. The clinical presentation was dominated by congestive heart failure in 15 patients (75%). Half of the patients (50%) had type III hypertrophic cardiomyopathy according to Maron’s classification. Seven patients (35%) had obstructive HCM and the mean thickness of the interventricular septum in diastole was 15.88. Left ventricular systolic function was impaired in 40% of patients. No patient was able to do a genetic test. The combination of beta-blocker (95%), an inhibitor of the renin- angiotensin-aldosterone system (90%) and furosemide (85%) constituted the essential part of the treatment combined with Lifestyle changes. No patients have benefited from implantable cardioverter defibrillators. The yearly mortality rate at the end of our study was 70%. Conclusion: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy remains a relatively rare pathology. It is often a late diagnosis in the context of heart failure with limited therapeutic means, explaining its heavy morbidity and mortality.