Skip to main content

MEK Inhibition Beneficial for Children With Subset of Severe Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 13, 2025.

via HealthDay

MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2025 -- For children with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by gain-of-function RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mutations (RASopathy), trametinib reduces mortality and morbidity, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JACC: Basic to Translational Science.

Cordula M. Wolf, M.D., from the German Heart Center Munich, and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 61 patients younger than 18 years with RASopathy with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The patients received standard care plus MAPK inhibition (MEKi [trametinib], compassionate use; 30 patients) or standard care (31 patients).

The researchers observed a decrease in mortality and morbidity with improved cardiac status among those receiving trametinib versus standard-of-care treatment. The primary end point (composite of cardiac surgery for outflow tract resection, heart transplantation, or death) occurred in 17 and 87 percent of patients in the MEKi and control groups, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.09). Side effects were manageable and were not life-threatening.

"Taken together, our genotype-specific treatment results establish proof of principle to support the future development of treatment strategies for all RASopathy-associated cardiomyopathy, but potentially also for additional RASopathy manifestations," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Novartis, which manufactures trametinib.

Abstract/Full Text

Editorial

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Smoking Tied to Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17, 2025 -- Smoking increases the risk for type 2 diabetes across all disease subtypes, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the European...

Weight-Loss Surgery Bests Medical Weight Management for Obesity-Related Risk Mitigation

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17, 2025 -- Bariatric surgery is associated with a significantly lower risk for developing major metabolic comorbidities compared with a medical weight management...

Parent-Focused Interventions Do Not Prevent Obesity at Age 24 Months

TUESDAY, Sept. 16, 2025 -- Parent-focused behavioral interventions seem to be insufficient for preventing obesity at age 24 months, according to a review published online Sept. 10...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.