Heart failure & cardiomyopathies

Polygenic Susceptibility in Peripartum, Alcohol-Induced, and Cancer Therapy–Related Cardiomyopathies

JAMA CardiolPublished Retrospective genetic association study

An erratum to this article was published (JAMA Cardiol, 1 Nov 2025 ↗)

Authors' conclusion

In this cohort study, individuals with PPCM, ACM, and CCM were enriched for monogenic DCM variants and a high DCM polygenic score, suggesting a shared genetic susceptibility influenced by distinct environmental precipitants.

Study context

Population
Individuals with secondary cardiomyopathies (peripartum, alcohol-induced, cancer therapy-related) in Mass General Brigham (MGB) Biobank, UK Biobank, FinnGen and Million Veteran Program3,414 secondary cardiomyopathy cases
Exposure
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) polygenic risk score and DCM monogenic variants vs secondary cardiomyopathies
Outcome
Association of the DCM polygenic risk score with PPCM, ACM and CCM; prevalence of monogenic variants and a high polygenic score among individuals with cardiomyopathy
Methodological detailsmulticohort, replication in 3 cohorts, MGB Biobank n = 42 137, 2008-2025; replication in UK Biobank (n = 295 160), FinnGen (n = 417 950), Million Veteran Program (n = 516 066)
  • Multicohort
  • Replication in 3 cohorts
  • MGB Biobank n = 42 137, 2008-2025; replication in UK Biobank (n = 295 160), FinnGen (n = 417 950), Million Veteran Program (n = 516 066)

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Association of DCM polygenic score with secondary cardiomyopathy
Estimate (95% CI)P value
PPCM70 cases
OR per SD 1.82(1.43–2.30)
P < 0.001
ACM2281 cases
OR 1.56(1.34–1.82)
P < 0.001
CCM1063 cases
OR 1.64(1.24–2.15)
P < 0.001
Monogenic variants in individuals with medical record-reviewed cardiomyopathy in MGB
7 of 113
High polygenic score in individuals with medical record-reviewed cardiomyopathy in MGB (≈3-fold increased odds)
66

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Most individuals with cardiomyopathy lacked antecedent clinical risk factors

Original publication

Polygenic Susceptibility in Peripartum, Alcohol-Induced, and Cancer Therapy–Related Cardiomyopathies. JAMA Cardiol. Published 1 November 2025. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2025.3248

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