American Heart Association, Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 2(14), 2021
DOI: 10.1161/circgen.120.003097
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Background:Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited cardiac disease characterized by fibrofatty replacement of the right and left ventricle, often causing ventricular dysfunction and life-threatening arrhythmias. Variants in desmosomal genes account for up to 60% of cases. Our objective was to establish the prevalence and clinical features of ACM stemming from pathogenic variants in the nondesmosomal cadherin 2 (CDH2), a novel genetic substrate of ACM.Methods:A cohort of 500 unrelated patients with a definite diagnosis of ACM and no disease-causing variants in the main ACM genes was assembled. Genetic screening ofCDH2was performed through next-generation or Sanger sequencing. Whenever possible, cascade screening was initiated in the families ofCDH2-positive probands, and clinical evaluation was performed.Results:Genetic screening ofCDH2led to the identification of 7 rare variants: 5, identified in 6 probands, were classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic. The previously established p.D407N pathogenic variant was detected in 2 additional probands. Probands and family members with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants inCDH2were clinically evaluated, and along with previously published cases, altogether contributed to the identification of gene-specific features (13 cases from this cohort and 11 previously published, for a total of 9 probands and 15 family members). Ventricular arrhythmic events occurred in mostCDH2-positive subjects (20/24, 83%), while the occurrence of heart failure was rare (2/24, 8.3%). Among probands, sustained ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death occurred in 5/9 (56%).Conclusions:In this worldwide cohort of previously genotype-negative ACM patients, the prevalence of probands withCDH2pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants was 1.2% (6/500). Our data show that this cohort ofCDH2-ACM patients has a high incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, while evolution toward heart failure is rare.