Clinical utility of natriuretic peptides and troponins in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is based on clinical, echocardiographic and in some cases genetic findings. However, prognostication remains limited except in the subset of patients with high-risk indicators for sudden cardiac death. Additional methods are needed for risk stratification and to guide clinical management in HCM. We reviewed the available data regarding natriuretic peptides and troponins in HCM. Plasma levels of natriuretic peptides, and to a lesser extent serum levels of troponins, correlate with established disease markers, including left ventricular thickness, symptom status, and left ventricular hemodynamics by Doppler measurements. As a reflection of left ventricular filling pressure, natriuretic peptides may provide an objective measure of the efficacy of a specific therapy. Both natriuretic peptides and troponins predict clinical risk in HCM independently of established risk factors, and their prognostic power is additive. Routine measurement of biomarker levels therefore may be useful in the clinical evaluation and management of patients with HCM.