Genetic Variants Associated With Cardiac Structure and Function

Abstract
Alterations in cardiac structure and function adversely affect the prognosis of individuals in the general population. In community-based cohorts, the presence of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and increased LV mass predict the development of coronary heart disease,1,2 congestive heart failure (CHF),2 stroke,2,3 cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality.2,4 Likewise, increased LV wall thickness predicts CVD events,5 LV dilation predicts CHF,6 and asymptomatic LV systolic dysfunction predicts CHF and death.7 Left atrial size is related to incidence of atrial fibrillation,5 stroke, and death.8 Aortic root size is associated with risk of CHF, stroke, and mortality.8,9 Thus, traits obtained from echocardiography serve not only as measures of cardiac structure and function but also as intermediate phenotypes for clinical CVD outcomes.