A SIMPLE cheek swab test can detect a rare, deadly heart condition in children, researchers say.
It picked up abnormalities in youngsters at risk of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy before symptoms showed.
The genetic defect causes heart muscle cells to die and is the cause of one in ten sudden cardiac deaths in youngsters.
Researchers at City St George’s, University of London, said the non- invasive test was risk-free.
Dr Angeliki Asimaki, reader in cardiac morphology and sudden death at the School of Health and Medical Sciences, said: “Our test provides a window into microscopic changes happening in the heart, and it is totally risk-free and non-invasive.
“This has the potential to provide accurate and timely diagnosis of ACM, which could ultimately save lives.
“Patients, particularly children, have told us they hugely prefer the speed and ease of a cheek swab to alternatives such as blood tests.
“We are currently developing test kits which would allow children to do cheek swabs at home and post them off to researchers for analysis.”
Consultant cardiologist Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at BHF, the funder of the study which is being presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Madrid, said: “Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy has the potential to develop and strike without warning and sadly can risk sudden death in children, so it’s important that research helps us discover how to diagnose it early.
“This kind of simple, pain-free cheek swab test could identify children in the early stages of ACM who need extra care, or provide reassurance to at-risk children and their families with normal test results.”
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