Noninvasive detection of fibrosis applying contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance in different forms of left ventricular hypertrophy relation to remodeling.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the incidence and patterns of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in different forms of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and to determine their relation to severity of left ventricular (LV) remodeling.


BACKGROUND
Left ventricular hypertrophy is an independent predictor of cardiac mortality. The relationship between LVH and myocardial fibrosis as defined by LGE cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is not well understood.


METHODS
A total of 440 patients with aortic stenosis (AS), arterial hypertension (AH), or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) fulfilling echo criteria of LVH underwent CMR with assessment of LV size, weight, function, and LGE. Patients with increased left ventricular mass index (LVMI) resulting in global LVH in CMR were included in the study.


RESULTS
Criteria were fulfilled by 83 patients (56 men, age 57 +/- 14 years; AS, n = 21; AH, n = 26; HCM, n = 36). Late gadolinium enhancement was present in all forms of LVH (AS: 62%, AH: 50%; HCM: 72%, p = NS) and was correlated with LVMI (r = 0.237, p = 0.045). There was no significant relationship between morphological obstruction and LGE. The AS subjects with LGE showed higher LV end-diastolic volumes than those without (1.0 +/- 0.2 ml/cm vs. 0.8 +/- 0.2 ml/cm, p < 0.015). Typical patterns of LGE were observed in HCM but not in AS and AH.


CONCLUSIONS
Fibrosis as detected by CMR is a frequent feature of LVH, regardless of its cause, and depends on the severity of LV remodeling. As LGE emerges as a useful tool for risk stratification also in nonischemic heart diseases, our findings have the potential to individualize treatment strategies.
Rudolph
Andre
A
Franz-Volhard-Klinik, Charite Campus Buch, HELIOS-Kliniken Berlin, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Abdel-Aty
Hassan
H
Bohl
Steffen
S
Boyé
Philipp
P
Zagrosek
Anja
A
Dietz
Rainer
R
Schulz-Menger
Jeanette
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005682:Gadolinium; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*
D005682:Gadolinium