SCIENTIFIC LETTER Heart rate variability in children with hypertrophic

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) carries an in-creased risk of sudden death, especially in children andyoung adults. We investigated heart rate variability (HRV) in children with HCM, in order to evaluate its prognos-tic value. METHODS Seventeen patients (9 males and 8 females) with non-obstructive HCM were prospectively enrolled in the study. The diagnosis of HCM had been made between the ages of 1 month and 13 years (mean (SD) 71 (54) months). At the time of the study their ages ranged from 16 months to 16.5 years (mean 123 (70) months). HCMwas defined by the presence of a hypertrophied, non-dilated left ventricle, in the absence of underlying cardiac, systemic disease or syndromic conditions. Four patients had a family history of HCM and two had a family history of premature (less than 50 years) sudden cardiac death of a first degree relative. At the time of the study