Family Screening in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Prevalence, Incidence, and Potential for Limiting Follow-Up

Background: According to patterns of inheritance and incomplete penetrance, fewer than half of relatives to dilated cardiomyopathy probands will develop disease.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and incidence, and to identify predictors of developing familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDC) in relatives participating in family screening.

Methods: The study was a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study of families screened and followed from 2006 to 2020 at a regional assembly of clinics for inherited cardiomyopathies.

Results: In total, 211 families (563 relatives, 50% women) were included. At baseline, 124 relatives (22%) were diagnosed with FDC. Genetic sequencing identified the etiology in 37% of screened families and classified 101 (18%) relatives as unaffected carriers (n = 43) or noncarriers (ie, not at risk of FDC [n = 58]). The combined clinical and genetic baseline yield was 30%. During follow-up (2,313 person-years, median 5.0 years), 45 developed FDC (incidence rate of 2.0% per person-year; 95% CI: 1.4%-2.8%), increasing the overall yield to 34%. The incidence rate of FDC was high in relatives with baseline abnormalities on electrocardiogram or echocardiography compared with relatives with normal findings (4.7% vs 0.4% per person-year; HR: 12.9; P < 0.001). In total, baseline screening identified 326 (58%) relatives to be at low risk of FDC.

Conclusions: Family screening identified a genetic predisposition to or overt FDC in 1 of 3 relatives at baseline. Genetic and clinical screening was normal in more than half of relatives, and these relatives had a low risk of developing FDC during follow-up. Thus, baseline screening identified a large proportion, in whom follow-up may safely be reduced, allowing focused follow-up of relatives at risk.