Safety and prognostic value of vasodilator stress CMR in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

Abstract

Abstract Background Recent data suggest that patients with HFrEF (heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%) referred for stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) may have a less optimal haemodynamic response to intravenous vasodilator. The prognostic value of stress CMR has been poorly investigated in this population. Purpose To assess the safety and the prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion CMR in patients with HFrEF. Material Between 2008 and 2018, we prospectively included consecutive patients with HFrEF referred for vasodilator stress perfusion CMR with dipyridamole. HFrEF was defined by a previous history of HF and known LVEF <40%. All patients with LVEF ≥40% measured by CMR were excluded. They were followed for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined by cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI). The secondary endpoint was a composite outcome of cardiovascular death or rehospitalization for acute HF defined by the use of intravenous diuretics. The safety of the stress perfusion CMR was assessed by clinical monitoring for 1 hour after the end of the CMR. Univariable and multivariable Cox regressions were performed to determine the prognostic association of inducible ischemia or late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by CMR. Results Of 1084 patients with HFrEF (65±11 years, median LVEF 34.6±4.9%), 1049 (97%) completed the CMR protocol and among those 952 (91%) completed the follow-up (median 5.6±2.4 years). Reasons for failure to complete CMR included declining participation (n=11), renal failure (n=9), intolerance to stress agent (n=8), claustrophobia (n=4) and poor gating (n=3). Stress CMR was well tolerated without occurrence of death or severe disabling adverse event. Among patients who underwent CMR, 600 (57%) were diagnosed with MI defined by LGE. Patients without inducible ischemia or LGE experienced a substantially lower annual event rate of MACE (1.8%) than those with ischemia and without LGE (9.4%), or those with both ischemia and LGE (12.0%; p<0.001 for all). Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, the presence of inducible ischemia and LGE were significantly associated with the occurrence of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 2.46 [95% CI, 1.69–3.59]; p<0.001) (Figure). In multivariable stepwise Cox regression including clinical characteristics and CMR, the inducible ischemia was an independent predictor of a higher incidence of MACE at follow-up (adjusted HR, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.52–3.35]; p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between patients with or without ischemia for the secondary outcome (p=0.28). Conclusions Stress CMR is safe and has a good discriminative prognostic value to predict the occurrence of MACE in patients with HFrEF. Kaplan-Meier curves for MACE Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None