Gene Variant Linked to Heart Disease in Africans

Cleveland Clinic researchers identify the CD36 variant as a leading known genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in people of African ancestry.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Heart Disease

Clean flat-color editorial illustration of a row of glass vials in a laboratory rack, one holding a faint amber liquid, evoking a genetic finding. — Cleveland Clinic researchers identified the CD36 gene variant as a leading known genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in people of African ancestry, a variant standard testing panels miss. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should routine genetic heart testing include variants common in people of African ancestry?

Cleveland Clinic-led research identified the CD36 gene variant as a leading known genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in people of African ancestry. The Clinic is working to incorporate CD36 variant testing into clinical practice.

Why it matters

The variant is found in about 17% of people of African ancestry but is not included in standard cardiomyopathy genetic testing panels. Its symptoms, such as fatigue and shortness of breath, can mimic other health conditions, making undetected cases more likely.

The study analyzed 82,623 individuals of African ancestry across four U.S. datasets, finding 1,625 participants with dilated cardiomyopathy at an average age of 53. Carriers of two copies of the variant, about 1% of the population, had roughly fivefold higher odds of the condition than noncarriers, and when or how clinical testing will roll out has not been specified.

The players

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a major nonprofit academic medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, that led the research identifying the CD36 variant and is working to bring its testing into clinical practice.

The details

Researchers analyzed genetic data from individuals of African ancestry and found the CD36 variant substantially increases the risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes heart chambers to thin, stretch, and grow larger. The variant is common among people of African ancestry but virtually absent in people of European ancestry.

Research article on the CD36 variant and heart failure link was published November 3, 2026.

Big Picture

The CD36 variant is absent from standard cardiomyopathy genetic testing panels, leaving a known genetic risk factor outside routine screening. The finding exposes a gap in current testing that disproportionately affects people of African ancestry, for whom the variant is common.

Individuals of African ancestry with unexplained fatigue or shortness of breath may benefit from asking their clinicians about genetic evaluation once CD36 testing is available. Because symptoms can mimic other conditions, a family history of heart muscle disease is worth raising with a doctor.

The takeaway

Genetic screening for heart disease may need to account for ancestry-specific variants like CD36 that standard panels currently miss. Patients with unexplained heart symptoms should discuss their family history with their doctor.