Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study

COVID-19 outcomes and persistent symptoms in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: association with pre-existing cardiovascular magnetic resonance phenotype

HeartPublished

  • international hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) Registry
  • patient-reported questionnaires
  • multivariable logistic regression

Authors' conclusion

In this large HCM cohort, COVID-19 was associated with a substantial burden of persistent symptoms, but pre-existing CMR phenotype was not associated with adverse outcomes. These findings suggest that baseline structural disease severity may not identify patients at higher risk of post-COVID-19 complications, although results should be interpreted in the context of self-reported outcomes and limited event rates.

Study context

Population
Participants from the international HCM Registry with prior cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) phenotyping767 with reported COVID-19 infection
Participants
1,704 participants
Exposure
Associations between baseline CMR features and hospitalisation or impaired recovery (≥3 months)

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Outcomes among participants with reported COVID-19 infection

required hospitalisation

4%

reported impaired recovery at ≥3 months

19%

non-cardiac deaths

2 (0.26%)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Persistent symptoms

fatigue
67%
dyspnoea
33%

Association of adverse CMR features (hypertrophy, fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement), extracellular volume) with hospitalisation or impaired recovery

not associated with hospitalisation or impaired recovery
  • After adjustment

Predictors of persistent symptoms

Female sex and younger age were associated with persistent symptoms

Original publication

COVID-19 outcomes and persistent symptoms in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: association with pre-existing cardiovascular magnetic resonance phenotype. Heart. Published 28 May 2026. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2025-327169

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it