Tintelen, J.P. van

Recurrent and founder mutations in the Netherlands: The cardiac phenotype of DES founder mutations p.S13F and p.N342D (Article)

2012-05-01T00:00:00Z

Background Desmin-related myopathy (DRM) is an autosomally inherited skeletal and cardiac myopathy, mainly caused by dominant mutations in the desmin gene (DES).We describe new families carrying the p.S13F or p.N342D DES mutations, the cardiac phenotype of all carriers, and the founder effects. Methods We collected the clinical details of all carriers of p. S13F or p.N342D. The founder effects were studied using genealogy and haplotype analysis. Results We identified three new index patients carrying the p.S13F mutation and two new families carrying the p.N342D mutation. In total, we summarised the clinical details of 39 p. S13F carriers (eight index patients) and of 21 p.N342D carriers (three index patients). The cardiac phenotype of p.S13F carriers is fully penetrant and severe, characterised by cardiac conduction disease and cardiomyopathy, often with right ventricular involvement. Although muscle weakness is a prominent and presenting symptom in p.N342D carriers, their cardiac phenotype is similar to that of p.S13F carriers. The founder effects of p.S13F and p.N342D were demonstrated by genealogy and haplotype analysis. Conclusion DRM may occur as an apparently isolated cardiological disorder. The cardiac phenotypes of the DES founder mutations p.S13F and p.N342D are characterised by cardiac conduction disease and cardiomyopathy, often with right ventricular involvement.

Mortality risk of untreated myosin-binding protein crelated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Insight into the natural history (Article)

2011-11-29T00:00:00Z

Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the mortality of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), partly in times when the disease was not elucidated and patients were untreated. Background: HCM is feared for the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Insight in the natural history of the disorder is needed to design proper screening strategies for families with HCM. Methods: In 6 large, 200-year multigenerational pedigrees (identified by using genealogical searches) and in 140 small (contemporary) pedigrees (first-degree relatives of the proband) with HCM caused by a truncating mutation in the myosin-binding protein C gene (n = 1,118), we determined all-cause mortality using the family tree mortality ratio method. The studys main outcome measure was the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). Results: In the large pedigrees, overall mortality was not increased (SMR 0.86 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72 to 1.03]), but significant excess mortality occurred between 10 and 19 years (SMR 2.7 [95% CI: 1.2 to 5.2]). In the small families, the SMR was increased (SMR 3.2 [95% CI: 2.3 to 4.3]) and excess mortality was observed between 10 and 39 years (SMR 3.2 [95% CI: 2.3 to 4.3]) and 50 and 59 years (SMR 1.9 [95% CI: 1.4 to 2.5]). Conclusions: We identified specific age categories with increased mortality risks in HCM families. The small, referred pedigrees had higher mortality risks than the large 200-year multigenerational pedigrees. Our findings support the strategy of starting cardiological and genetic screening in the first-degree relatives of a proband from 10 years onward and including persons in the screening at least until the age of 60 years. Screening of more distant relatives is probably most efficient between 10 and 19 years.

Recurrent and founder mutations in the Netherlands: Cardiac troponin I (TNNI3) gene mutations as a cause of severe forms of hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy (Article)

2011-10-05T00:00:00Z

Background About 2-7% of familial cardiomyopathy cases are caused by a mutation in the gene encoding cardiac troponin I (TNNI3). The related clinical phenotype is usually severe with early onset. Here we report on all currently known mutations in the Dutch population and compared these with those described in literature. Methods TheTNNI3 gene was screened for mutations in all coding exons and flanking intronic sequences in a large cohort of cardiomyopathy patients. All Dutch index cases carrying a TNNI3 mutation that are described in this study underwent extensive cardiological evaluation and were listed by their postal codes. Results In 30 families, 14 different mutations were identified. Three TNNI3 mutations were found relatively frequently in both familial and non-familial cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or restrictive car-diomyopathy (RCM). Haplotype analysis showed that p. Arg145Trp and p.Ser166Phe are founder mutations in the Netherlands, while p.Glu209Ala is not. The majority of Dutch TNNI3 mutations were associated with a HCM phenotype. Mean age at diagnosis was 36.5 years. Mutations causing RCM occurred less frequently, but were identified in very young children with a poor prognosis. Conclusion In line with previously published data, we found TNNI3 mutations to be rare and associated with early onset and severe clinical presentation.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy: Pathogenic desmosome mutations in index-patients predict outcome of family screening: Dutch arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy genotype-phenotype follow-up study (Article)

2011-06-14T00:00:00Z

Background-: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease with incomplete penetrance and variable expression. Causative mutations in genes encoding 5 desmosomal proteins are found in ≈50% of ARVD/C index patients. Previous genotype-phenotype relation studies involved mainly overt ARVD/C index patients, so follow-up data on relatives are scarce. Methods and Results-: One hundred forty-nine ARVD/C index patients (111 male patients; age, 49±13 years) according to 2010 Task Force criteria and 302 relatives from 93 families (282 asymptomatic; 135 male patients; age, 44±13 years) were clinically and genetically characterized. DNA analysis comprised sequencing of plakophilin-2 (PKP2), desmocollin-2, desmoglein-2, desmoplakin, and plakoglobin and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to identify large deletions in PKP2. Pathogenic mutations were found in 87 index patients (58%), mainly truncating PKP2 mutations, including 3 cases with multiple mutations. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification revealed 3 PKP2 exon deletions. ARVD/C was diagnosed in 31% of initially asymptomatic mutation-carrying relatives and 5% of initially asymptomatic relatives of index patients without mutation. Prolonged terminal activation duration was observed more than negative T waves in V1 to V3, especially in mutation-carrying relatives <20 years of age. In 45% of screened families, ≥1 affected relatives were identified (90% with mutations). Conclusions-: Pathogenic desmosomal gene mutations, mainly truncating PKP2 mutations, underlie ARVD/C in the majority (58%) of Dutch index patients and even 90% of familial cases. Additional multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis contributed to discovering pathogenic mutations underlying ARVD/C. Discovering pathogenic mutations in index patients enables those relatives who have a 6-fold increased risk of ARVD/C diagnosis to be identified. Prolonged terminal activation duration seems to be a first sign of ARVD/C in young asymptomatic relatives.

Manifest disease, risk factors for sudden cardiac death, and cardiac events in a large nationwide cohort of predictively tested hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutation carriers: Determining the best cardiological screening strategy (Article)

2011-05-01T00:00:00Z

Aims We investigated the presence of a clinical diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD), and cardiac events during follow-up in predictively tested-not known to have a clinical diagnosis of HCM before the DNA test-carriers of a sarcomeric gene mutation and associations with age and gender to determine the best cardiological screening strategy. Methods and results One hundred and thirty-six (30%) of 446 mutation carriers were diagnosed with HCM at one or more cardiological evaluation(s). Male gender and higher age were associated with manifest disease. Incidence of newly diagnosed manifest HCM was <10% per person-year under the age of 40 years and > 10% in older carriers, although numbers were small in carriers <15 years. Twenty-three percent of carriers, with and without manifest disease, had established risk factor(s) for SCD (no significant difference). During an average follow-up of 3.5±1.7 years two carriers, both with manifest disease, died suddenly (0.13% per person-year). A high-risk status for SCD (≥2 risk factors and manifest HCM) was present in 17 carriers during follow-up (2.4% per person-year). Age but not gender was associated with a high-risk status for SCD. Conclusion Thirty percent of carriers had or developed manifest HCM after predictive DNA testing and risk factors for SCD were frequently present. Our data suggest that the SCD risk is low and risk stratification for SCD can be omitted in carriers without manifest disease and that frequency of cardiological evaluations can possibly be decreased in carriers between 15 and 40 years as long as hypertrophy is absent.

Response to letter regarding article, Peripartum cardiomyopathy as a part of familial dilated cardiomyopathy (Article)

2011-01-18T00:00:00Z

Peripartum cardiomyopathy as a part of familial dilated cardiomyopathy (Article)

2010-05-25T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND-: Anecdotal cases of familial clustering of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and familial occurrences of PPCM and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) together have been observed, suggesting that genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of PPCM. We hypothesized that some cases of PPCM are part of the spectrum of familial DCM, presenting in the peripartum period. METHODS AND RESULTS-: We reviewed our database of 90 DCM families, focusing specifically on the presence of PPCM patients. Then, in a reverse approach, we reviewed 10 PPCM patients seen in our clinic since the early 1990s and performed cardiological screening of the first-degree relatives of 3 PPCM patients who did not show a full recovery. Finally, we analyzed the genes known to be most commonly involved in DCM in the PPCM patients. We identified a substantial number (5 of 90, 6%) of DCM families with PPCM patients. Second, cardiological screening of first-degree relatives of 3 PPCM patients who did not show full recovery revealed undiagnosed DCM in all 3 families. Finally, genetic analyses revealed a mutation (c.149A>G, p.Gln50Arg) in the gene encoding cardiac troponin C (TNNC1) segregating with disease in a DCM family with a member with PPCM, supporting the genetic nature of disease in this case. CONCLUSIONS-: Our findings strongly suggest that a subset of PPCM is an initial manifestation of familial DCM. This may have important implications for cardiological screening in such families.

The yield of risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy myosin-binding protein C gene mutation carriers: focus on predictive screening (Article)

2010-04-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract. AIMS: We investigated the presence of a clinical diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and of risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD) at the first cardiological evaluation after predictive genetic testing in asymptomatic carriers of an MYBPC3 gene mutation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-five mutation carriers were cardiologically evaluated on the presence of HCM and risk factors. A clinical diagnosis of HCM was made in 53 carriers (22.6%). Disease penetrance at 65 years was incomplete for all types of MYBPC3 gene mutations. Women were affected less often than men (15 and 32% respectively, P = 0.003) and disease penetrance was lower in females than in males (13 and 30% at 50 years, respectively, P = 0.024). One risk factor was present in 87 carriers and 9 had two or more risk factors. Twenty-five carriers (11%) with one or more risk factors and manifest HCM could be at risk for SCD. CONCLUSION: At first cardiological evaluation almost one-quarter of asymptomatic carriers was diagnosed with HCM. Risk factors for SCD were frequently present and 11% of carriers could be at risk for SCD. Predictive genetic testing in HCM families and frequent cardiological evaluation on the presence of HCM and risk factors for SCD are justified until advanced age.

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy Diagnostic Task Force Criteria impact of new Task Force Criteria (Article)

2010-04-01T00:00:00Z

Background-Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) Diagnostic Task Force Criteria (TFC) proposed in 1994 are highly specific but lack sensitivity. A new international task force modified criteria to improve diagnostic yield. A comparison of diagnosis by 1994 TFC versus newly proposed criteria in 3 patient groups was conducted. Methods and Results-In new TFC, scoring by major and minor criteria is maintained. Structural abnormalities are quantified and TFC highly specific for ARVD/C upgraded to major. Furthermore, new criteria are added: terminal activation duration of QRS ≥55 ms, ventricular tachycardia with left bundle-branch block morphology and superior axis, and genetic criteria. Three groups were studied: (1) 105 patients with proven ARVD/C according to 1994 TFC, (2) 89 of their family members, and (3) 39 patients with probable ARVD/C (ie, 3 points by 1994 TFC). All were screened for pathogenic mutations in desmosomal genes. Three ARVD/C patients did not meet the new sharpened criteria on structural abnormalities and thereby did not fulfill new TFC. In 62 of 105 patients with proven ARVD/C, mutations were found: 58 in the gene encoding Plakophilin2 (PKP2), 3 in Desmoglein2, 3 in Desmocollin2, and 1 in Desmoplakin. Three patients had bigenic involvement. Ten additional relatives (11%) fulfilled new TFC: 9 (90%) were female, and all carried PKP2 mutations. No relatives lost diagnosis by application of new TFC. Of patients with probable ARVD/C, 25 (64%) fulfilled new TFC: 8 (40%) women and 14 (56%) carrying pathogenic mutations. Conclusions-In this first study applying new TFC to patients suspected of ARVD/C, 64% of probable ARVD/C patients and 11% of family members were additionally diagnosed. ECG criteria and pathogenic mutations especially contributed to new diagnosis. Newly proposed TFC have a major impact in increasing diagnostic yield of ARVD/C.