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

Moniek G. P. J. Cox*, Paul A. van der Zwaag, Christian van der Werf, Jasper J. van der Smagt, Maartje Noorman, Zahir A. Bhuiyan, Ans C. P. Wiesfeld, Paul G. A. Volders, Irene M. van Langen, Douwe E. Atsma, Dennis Dooijes, Arthur van den Wijngaard, Arjan C. Houweling, Jan D. H. Jongbloed, Luc J. L. M. Jordaens, Maarten Jan Cramer, Pieter A. Doevendans, Jacques M. T. de Bakker, Arthur A. M. Wilde, J. Peter van TintelenRichard N. W. Hauer

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

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 approximate to 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 ligationdependent 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 = 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. (Circulation. 2011;123:2690-2700.)
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2690-2700
JournalCirculation
Volume123
Issue number23
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jun 2011

Keywords

  • arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
  • cardiomyopathy
  • desmosome
  • follow-up studies
  • genetics

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