Sex-related differences in exercise performance and outcome of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Exercise performance is known to predict outcome in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but whether sex-related differences exist is unresolved. We explored whether functional impairment, assessed by exercise echocardiography, has comparable predictive accuracy in females and males with HCM. We retrospectively evaluated 292 HCM patients (46 ± 16 years, 72% males), consecutively referred for exercise echocardiography; 242 were followed for 5.9 ± 4.2 years. Peak exercise capacity was 6.5 ± 1.6 metabolic equivalents (METs). Sixty patients (21%) showed impaired exercise capacity (≤5 METs). Exercise performance was reduced in females, compared with males (5.6 ± 1.6 vs 6.9 ± 1.5 METs, Female patients with HCM showed significant age-related impairment in functional capacity compared with males, particularly evident in post-menopausal age groups. While women were at greater risk of HCM-related complications and death, impaired exercise capacity predicted adverse outcome only in men. These findings suggest the need for sex-specific management strategies in HCM.