Proteomic profiles of left atrial volume and its influence on response to spironolactone: Findings from the HOMAGE trial and STANISLAS cohort.

AIMS: High left ventricular filling pressure increases left atrial volume and causes myocardial fibrosis, which may decrease with spironolactone. We studied clinical and proteomic characteristics associated with left atrial volume indexed by body surface area (LAVi), and whether LAVi influences the response to spironolactone on biomarker expression and clinical variables. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the HOMAGE trial, where people at risk of heart failure were randomized to spironolactone or control, we analysed 421 participants with available LAVi and 276 proteomic measurements (Olink) at baseline, month 1 and 9 (mean age 73 ± 6 years; women 26%; LAVi 32 ± 9 ml/m2). Circulating proteins associated with LAVi were also assessed in asymptomatic individuals from a population-based cohort (STANISLAS; n = 1640; mean age 49 ± 14 years; women 51%; LAVi 23 ± 7 ml/m2). In both studies, greater LAVi was significantly associated with greater left ventricular masses and volumes. In HOMAGE, after adjustment and correction for multiple testing, greater LAVi was associated with higher concentrations of matrix metallopeptidase-2 (MMP-2), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (false discovery rates [FDR] <0.05). These associations were externally replicated in STANISLAS (all FDR <0.05). Among these biomarkers, spironolactone decreased concentrations of MMP-2 and NT-proBNP, regardless of baseline LAVi (pinteraction > 0.10). Spironolactone also significantly reduced LAVi, improved left ventricular ejection fraction, lowered E/e', blood pressure and serum procollagen type I C-terminal propeptide (PICP) concentration, a collagen synthesis marker, regardless of baseline LAVi (pinteraction > 0.10). CONCLUSION: In individuals without heart failure, LAVi was associated with MMP-2, IGFBP-2 and NT-proBNP. Spironolactone reduced these biomarker concentrations as well as LAVi and PICP, irrespective of left atrial size.

Long-term changes in cardiac remodelling in prevalent kidney graft recipients.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 15% of kidney transplant (KT) recipients develop de novo heart failure after KT. There are scarce data reporting the long-term changes in cardiac structure and function among KT recipients. Despite the improvement in renal function, transplant-related complications as well as immunosuppressive therapy could have an impact on cardiac remodelling during follow-up. We aimed to describe the long-term changes in echocardiographic parameters in prevalent KT recipients and identify the clinical and laboratory factors associated with these changes. METHODS: A centralised blinded review of two echocardiographic examinations after KT (on average after 17 and 39 months post-KT respectively) was performed among 80 patients (age 50.4 ± 16.2, diabetes 13.8% pre-KT), followed by linear regression to identify clinico-biological factors related to echocardiographic changes. RESULTS: Left atrial volume index (LAVI) increased significantly (34.2 ± 10.8 mL/m2vs. 37.6 ± 15.0 mL/m2, annualised delta 3.1 ± 11.4 mL/m2/year; p = 0.034) while left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased (62.1 ± 9.0% vs. 59.7 ± 9.9%, annualised delta -2.7 ± 13.6%/year; p = 0.04). Male sex (ß = 8.112 ± 2.747; p < 0.01), pre-KT hypertension (ß = 9.725 ± 4.156; p < 0.05), graft from expanded criteria donor (ß = 3.791 ± 3.587; p < 0.05), and induction by anti-thymocyte globulin (ß = 7.920 ± 2.974; p = 0.01) were associated with an increase in LAVI during follow-up. Higher haemoglobin (>12.9 g/dL) at the time of the first echocardiography (ß = 6.029 ± 2.967; p < 0.05) and ACEi/ARB therapy (ß = 8.306 ± 3.161; p < 0.05) were associated with an increase in LVEF during follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the existence of long-term cardiac remodelling after KT despite dialysis cessation, characterised by an increase in LAVI and a decrease in LVEF. A better management of anaemia and using ACEi/ARB therapy may prevent such remodelling.

Role of aldosterone in mid- and long-term left ventricular remodelling after acute myocardial infarction: The REMI study.

AIMS: Whether aldosterone levels after myocardial infarction (MI) are associated with mid- and long-term left ventricular (LV) remodelling in the era of systematic use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors is uncertain. We prospectively investigated the relationship between aldosterone levels and mid- and long-term LV remodelling in patients with acute MI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plasma aldosterone was measured in 119 patients successfully treated by primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty for a first acute ST-elevation MI (STEMI) 2-4 days after the acute event. LV volumes were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the same timeframe and 6 months later. LV assessment was repeated by TTE 3-9 years after MI (n = 80). The median aldosterone level at baseline was 23.1 [16.8; 33.1] pg/ml. In the multivariable model, higher post-MI aldosterone concentration was significantly associated with more pronounced increase in LV end-diastolic volume index (TTE: ß ± standard error [SE]: 0.113 ± 0.046, p = 0.015; CMR: ß ± SE: 0.098 ± 0.040, p = 0.015) and LV end-systolic volume index (TTE: ß ± SE: 0.083 ± 0.030, p = 0.008; CMR: ß ± SE: 0.064 ± 0.032, p = 0.048) at 6-month follow-up, regardless of the method of assessment. This result was consistent also in patients with a LV ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%. The association between baseline plasma aldosterone and adverse LV remodelling did not persist at the 3-9-year follow-up evaluation. CONCLUSION: Aldosterone concentration in the acute phase was associated with adverse LV remodelling in the medium term, even in the subgroup of patients with LVEF >40%, suggesting a potential role of the mineralocorticoid system in post-MI adverse remodelling. Plasma aldosterone was no longer associated with LV remodelling in the long term (NCT01109225).

Multicentre medicoeconomic evaluation of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for predicting coronary artery disease in left ventricular dysfunction: The CAMAREC study design.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may provide a non-invasive alternative to coronary angiography for differentiating between ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy in cases of unexplained reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. AIM: The CAMAREC study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in predicting significant coronary artery disease in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, using coronary angiography as the gold standard for comparison. METHODS: CAMAREC is a prospective cohort study of 406 patients in 10 centres with newly diagnosed, unexplained left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 45%. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and coronary angiography will be conducted within a 2-week interval, starting with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; independent committees will review the results blindly. Primary outcome is sensitivity of detecting ischaemic scar on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for predicting significant coronary artery disease on coronary angiography according to Felker's criteria. Secondary outcomes include specificity and positive and negative predictive values (with 95% confidence intervals) of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for predicting significant coronary artery disease in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, kappa concordance coefficient between cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and coronary angiography for diagnosing the affected myocardial territory, and the impact of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging on revascularization decisions. Two ancillary studies will evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness of using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging first versus coronary angiography first, and the sensitivity of pre- and postcontrast T1-mapping for predicting significant coronary artery disease in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: Our study protocol is designed to rigorously evaluate cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as a non-invasive alternative to coronary angiography in patients with unexplained reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. The results will have significant implications for patient management, and may support growing evidence for the clinical utility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Cardiac device-related infective endocarditis need for lead extraction whatever the device according to the ESC EORP EURO-ENDO registry.

Aims: Cardiac device-related infective endocarditis (CDRIE) is a severe complication of cardiac device (CD) implantation and is usually treated by antibiotic therapy and percutaneous device extraction. Few studies report the management and prognosis of CDRIE in real life. In particular, the rate of device extraction in clinical practice and the management of patients with left heart infective endocarditis (LHIE) and an apparently non-infected CD (LHIE+CDRIE-) are not well described. Methods and results: We sought to study in EURO-ENDO, the characteristics, prognosis, and management of 483 patients with a CD included in the European Society of Cardiology EurObservational Research Programme EURO-ENDO registry. Three populations were compared: 280 isolated CDRIE (66.7 ± 14.3 years), 157 patients with LHIE and an apparently non-infected CD (LHIE+CDRIE-) (71.1 ± 13.6), and 46 patients with both LHIE and CDRIE (LHIE+CDRIE+) (70.2 ± 10.1). Echocardiography was not always transoesophageal echography (TOE); it was transthoracic echography (TTE) for isolated CDRIE in 88.4% (TOE = 67.6%), for LHIE+CDRIE- TTE = 93.0% (TOE = 58.6%), and for CDRIE+LHIE+ TTE = 87.0% (TOE = 63.0%). Nuclear imaging was performed in 135 patients (positive for 75.6%). In-hospital mortality was lower in isolated CDRIE 13.2% vs. 22.3% and 30.4% for LHIE+CDRIE- and LHIE+CDRIE+ (P = 0004). Device extraction was performed in 62.1% patients with isolated CDRIE, 10.2% of LHIE+CDRIE- patients, and 45.7% of CDRIE+LHIE+ patients. Device extraction was associated with a better prognosis [hazard ratio 0.59 (0.40-0.87), P = 0.0068] even in the LHIE+CDRIE- group (P = 0.047). Conclusion: Prognosis of endocarditis in patients with a CD remains poor, particularly in the presence of an associated LHIE. Although recommended by guidelines, device extraction is not always performed. Device removal was associated with better prognosis, even in the LHIE+CDRIE- group.

Layer myocardial strain is the most heritable echocardiographic trait.

AIMS: Myocardial deformation assessed by strain analysis represents a significant advancement in our assessment of cardiac mechanics. However, whether this variable is genetically heritable or whether all/most of its variability is related to environmental factors is currently unknown. We sought to determine the heritability of echocardiographically determined cardiac mechanics indices in a population setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1357 initially healthy subjects (women 51.6%; 48.2 ± 14.1 years) were included in this study from 20-year follow-up after the fourth visit of the longitudinal familial STANISLAS cohort (Lorraine, France). Data were acquired using state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound equipment, using acquisition and measurement protocols recommended by the EACVI (European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging)/ASE (American Society of Echocardiography)/Industry Task Force. Layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global circumferential strain (full-wall, subendocardial, and subepicardial) and conventional structural and functional cardiac parameters and their potential heritability were assessed using restricted maximum likelihood analysis, with genetic relatedness matrix calculated from genome-wide association data. Indices of longitudinal/circumferential myocardial function and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction had low heritability (ranging from 10% to 20%). Diastolic and standard LV function parameters had moderate heritability (ranging from 20% to 30%) except for end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes (30% and 45%, respectively). In contrast, global longitudinal subendocardial strain (GLSEndo)/global longitudinal subepicardial strain (GLSEpi) ratio had a high level of heritability (65%). Except for GLSEndo/GLSEpi ratio, a large percentage of variance remained unexplained (>50%). CONCLUSIONS: In our population cohort, GLSEndo/GLSEpi ratio had a high level of heritability, whereas other classical and mechanical LV function parameters did not. Given the increasing recognition of GLSEndo/GLSEpi ratio as an early/sensitive imaging biomarker of systolic dysfunction, our results suggest the possible existence of individual genetic predispositions to myocardial decline.

Machine Learning-Based Phenogrouping in MVP Identifies Profiles Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis and Cardiovascular Events.

BACKGROUND: Structural changes and myocardial fibrosis quantification by cardiac imaging have become increasingly important to predict cardiovascular events in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP). In this setting, it is likely that an unsupervised approach using machine learning may improve their risk assessment. OBJECTIVES: This study used machine learning to improve the risk assessment of patients with MVP by identifying echocardiographic phenotypes and their respective association with myocardial fibrosis and prognosis. METHODS: Clusters were constructed using echocardiographic variables in a bicentric cohort of patients with MVP (n = 429, age 54 ± 15 years) and subsequently investigated for their association with myocardial fibrosis (assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance) and cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS: Mitral regurgitation (MR) was severe in 195 (45%) patients. Four clusters were identified: cluster 1 comprised no remodeling with mainly mild MR, cluster 2 was a transitional cluster, cluster 3 included significant left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) remodeling with severe MR, and cluster 4 included remodeling with a drop in LV systolic strain. Clusters 3 and 4 featured more myocardial fibrosis than clusters 1 and 2 (P < 0.0001) and were associated with higher rates of cardiovascular events. Cluster analysis significantly improved diagnostic accuracy over conventional analysis. The decision tree identified the severity of MR along with LV systolic strain <21% and indexed LA volume >42 mL/m2 as the 3 most relevant variables to correctly classify participants into 1 of the echocardiographic profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Clustering enabled the identification of 4 clusters with distinct echocardiographic LV and LA remodeling profiles associated with myocardial fibrosis and clinical outcomes. Our findings suggest that a simple algorithm based on only 3 key variables (severity of MR, LV systolic strain, and indexed LA volume) may help risk stratification and decision making in patients with MVP. (Genetic and Phenotypic Characteristics of Mitral Valve Prolapse, NCT03884426; Myocardial Characterization of Arrhythmogenic Mitral Valve Prolapse [MVP STAMP], NCT02879825).

Myocardial deformation in malignant mitral valve prolapse: A shifting paradigm to dynamic mitral valve-ventricular interactions.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the value of myocardial deformation using strain echocardiography in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and severe ventricular arrhythmia and to evaluate its impact on rhythmic risk stratification. Background: MVP is a common valvular affection with an overly benign course. Unpredictably, selected patients will present severe ventricular arrhythmia. Methods: Patients with MVP as the only cause of aborted SCD (MVP-aSCD: ventricular fibrillation and monomorphic and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia) with no other obvious reversible cause were identified. Nonconsecutive patients referred for the echocardiographic evaluation of MVP were enrolled as a control cohort and dichotomized according to the presence or absence of premature ventricular contractions (MVP-PVC or MVP-No PVC, respectively). All patients had a comprehensive strain assessment of mechanical dispersion (MD), postsystolic shortening, and postsystolic index (PSI). Results: A total of 260 patients were enrolled (20 MVP-aSCD, 54 MVP-PVC, and 186 MVP-No PVC). Deformation pattern discrepancies were observed with a higher PSI value in MVP-aSCD than that in MVP-PVC (4.6 ± 2.0 vs. 2.9 ± 3.7, p = 0.014) and a higher MD value than that in MVP-No PVC (46.0 ± 13.0 vs. 36.4 ± 10.8, p = 0.002). In addition, PSI and MD increased the prediction of severe ventricular arrhythmia on top of classical risk factors in MVP. Net reclassification improvement was 61% (p = 0.008) for PSI and 71% (p = 0.001) for MD. Conclusions: In MVP, myocardial deformation analysis with strain echocardiography identified specific contraction patterns with postsystolic shortening leading to increased values of PSI and MD, translating the importance of mitral valve-myocardial interactions in the arrhythmogenesis of severe ventricular arrhythmia. Strain echocardiography may provide important implications for rhythmic risk stratification in MVP.

A machine learning-derived echocardiographic algorithm identifies people at risk of heart failure with distinct cardiac structure, function, and response to spironolactone: Findings from the HOMAGE trial.

AIM: An echocardiographic algorithm derived by machine learning (e'VM) characterizes pre-clinical individuals with different cardiac structure and function, biomarkers, and long-term risk of heart failure (HF). Our aim was the external validation of the e'VM algorithm and to explore whether it may identify subgroups who benefit from spironolactone. METHODS AND RESULTS: The HOMAGE (Heart OMics in AGEing) trial enrolled participants at high risk of developing HF randomly assigned to spironolactone or placebo over 9 months. The e'VM algorithm was applied to 416 participants (mean age 74 ± 7 years, 25% women) with available echocardiographic variables (i.e. e' mean, left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mass indexed by body surface area [LVMi]). The effects of spironolactone on changes in echocardiographic and biomarker variables were assessed across e'VM phenotypes. A majority (>80%) had either a 'diastolic changes' (D), or 'diastolic changes with structural remodelling' (D/S) phenotype. The D/S phenotype had the highest LVMi, left atrial volume, E/e', natriuretic peptide and troponin levels (all p < 0.05). Spironolactone significantly reduced E/e' and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in the D/S phenotype (p < 0.01), but not in other phenotypes (p > 0.10; pinteraction <0.05 for both). These interactions were not observed when considering guideline-recommended echocardiographic structural and functional abnormalities. The magnitude of effects of spironolactone on LVMi, left atrial volume and a type I collagen marker was numerically higher in the D/S phenotype than the D phenotype but the interaction test did not reach significance. CONCLUSIONS: In the HOMAGE trial, the e'VM algorithm identified echocardiographic phenotypes with distinct responses to spironolactone as assessed by changes in E/e' and BNP.

Genetics and pathophysiology of mitral valve prolapse.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition affecting 2-3% of the general population, and the most complex form of valve pathology, with a complication rate up to 10-15% per year in advanced stages. Complications include mitral regurgitation which can lead to heart failure and atrial fibrillation, but also life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia and cardiovascular death. Sudden death has been recently brought to the forefront of MVP disease, increasing the complexity of management and suggesting that MVP condition is not properly understood. MVP can occur as part of syndromic conditions such as Marfan syndrome, but the most common form is non-syndromic, isolated or familial. Although a specific X-linked form of MVP was initially identified, autosomal dominant inheritance appears to be the primary mode of transmission. MVP can be stratified into myxomatous degeneration (Barlow), fibroelastic deficiency, and Filamin A-related MVP. While FED is still considered a degenerative disease associated with aging, myxomatous MVP and FlnA-MVP are recognized as familial pathologies. Deciphering genetic defects associated to MVP is still a work in progress; although FLNA, DCHS1, and DZIP1 have been identified as causative genes in myxomatous forms of MVP thanks to familial approaches, they explain only a small proportion of MVP. In addition, genome-wide association studies have revealed the important role of common variants in the development of MVP, in agreement with the high prevalence of this condition in the population. Furthermore, a potential genetic link between MVP and ventricular arrhythmia or a specific type of cardiomyopathy is considered. Animal models that allow to advance in the genetic and pathophysiological knowledge of MVP, and in particular those that can be easily manipulated to express a genetic defect identified in humans are detailed. Corroborated by genetic data and animal models, the main pathophysiological pathways of MVP are briefly addressed. Finally, genetic counseling is considered in the context of MVP.

Validation of the MEDIA echo score for the prognosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

There is currently no widely used prognostic score in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The MEDIA echo score, including four variables (pulmonary arterial systolic pressure > 40 mmHg, inferior vena cava collapsibility index < 50%, average E/e' > 9, and lateral mitral annular s' < 7 cm/s), has been proposed as a useful risk stratification tool. This study aimed at further validating the MEDIA echo score in both hospitalised and ambulatory HFpEF patients. The MEDIA echo score ranges from 0 to 4 (each criterion scores 1 point). The associations between MEDIA echo score and cardiovascular outcomes were assessed in two independent HFpEF cohorts, namely patients hospitalised for worsening HFpEF (N = 242, mean age 78 ± 11), and stable ambulatory HFpEF patients (N = 76, mean age 65 ± 8). Using multivariable Cox models, in the worsening HFpEF cohort, patients with a MEDIA echo score of 3-4 displayed a significant increased risk of death (HR 2.10, 95%CI 1.02-4.33, P = 0.043, score 0-1 as reference). In the ambulatory HFpEF cohort, patients with a MEDIA echo score of 2 had a significantly higher risk of death or HF hospitalisation (HR 3.44, 95%CI 1.27-9.30, P = 0.015, score 0 as reference), driven by HF hospitalisation; in that cohort, adding the MEDIA echo score to the clinical model significantly improved reclassification for the combined endpoint (integrated discrimination improvement 6.2%, P = 0.006). The MEDIA echo score significantly predicted the outcome of HFpEF patients in both hospital and ambulatory settings; its use may help refine routine risk stratification on top of well-established prognosticators in stable HFpEF patients.

Aortic regurgitation: multimodal assessment of quantification and impact.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of severity of aortic regurgitation (AR) by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) remains challenging in routine practice. Contemporary guidelines recommend cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients with significant disease and suboptimal TTE images. The objective of this study was to assess the role of CMR in the evaluation of severity of AR and to compare both modalities in the quantification of regurgitation and left ventricular volumes. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients who had isolated chronic AR and who underwent TTE and CMR within an interval of less than three months between May 2009 and June 2020 were included. The main indication for CMR was difficulties in quantifying AR, either because of lack of multiparametric analysis (only one method possible) or because of discrepancies in the different methods by TTE. RESULTS: In 25 patients, precise grading of AR was not possible by echocardiography. Among them, CMR finally detected seven patients with mild AR, 11 with moderate AR and seven with severe AR. For the 25 patients who had AR quantification by TTE, there was concordance between TTE and CMR in only seven patients (28%), and the AR was re-graded by CMR in 18 patients, including eight patients with severe AR by TTE and moderate AR by CMR. The concordance between TTE and CMR was weakly significant (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.003-0.67, p = 0.02). There was a moderate correlation between left ventricular volumes measured by TTE and by CMR (left ventricular end-diastolic volume: r = 0.57; p = 0.01; left ventricular end-systolic volume: r = 0.47, p = 0.01) but regurgitant volumes were not correlated (r = 0.04; p = 0.8). No TTE parameter of quantification was correlated with regurgitant volume measured by CMR. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance of AR quantification by CMR and TTE was weak. CMR re-graded some patients with severe AR by TTE into moderate AR. This should motivate practitioners to systematically assess all significant AR by CMR in order to improve quantification and optimise clinical management.

Detection of acute myocarditis by ECG-triggered PET imaging of somatostatin receptors compared to cardiac magnetic resonance: preliminary results.

Somatostatin receptors are overexpressed by inflammatory cells but not by cardiac cells, under normal conditions. This study assesses the detection of acute myocarditis by the ECG-triggered digital-PET imaging of somatostatin receptors (68Ga-DOTATOC-PET), as compared to Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) imaging, which is the reference diagnostic method in this setting. METHODS: Fourteen CMR-defined acute myocarditis patients had a first 15-minutes ECG-triggered 68Ga-DOTATOC PET recording, 4.4 ± 3.0 days from peak troponin, and 10 had a second 4.3 ± 0.3 months later. Myocardial/blood SUVmax ratio was analyzed relative to the normal upper limit of 2.18, which had been previously determined from oncology 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET recordings of patients with a similar age range as the myocarditis patients. RESULTS: An increased myocardial 68Ga-DOTATOC uptake relative to blood activity was invariably observed during the acute phase. SUVmax ratio exceeded 2.18 in all patients during the acute phase but also in 3/10 patients at 4-months, at a time when there were no more signs of active inflammation on CMR. A residual myocardial 68Ga-DOTATOC uptake was still observed on all gated-PET cine loops at 4-months. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that 68Ga-DOTATOC ECG-triggered digital-PET may be as sensitive as CMR at detecting myocarditis during the acute phase and more sensitive at later stages.

Relationship between ectopic calcifications and bone fragility depicted on computed tomography scan in 70 patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: A higher risk of osteoporotic fracture was described in systemic sclerosis patients than in healthy patients. Objective: To evaluate the relation between osteoporotic fracture risk measured by the scanographic bone attenuation coefficient of the first lumbar vertebra (SBAC-L1) on computed tomography (CT) scan and the presence of ectopic calcifications: vascular, valvular and spinal. Methods: This monocentric retrospective study was performed on patients followed between 2000 and 2014 at Nancy University Hospital. Systemic sclerosis patients, according to ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria, followed from 2000 to 2014 and who underwent, during their follow-up, a CT including the first lumbar vertebra were included. The SBAC-L1 was measured with a threshold set at 145 Hounsfield units (HU). Vascular and spinal calcifications were studied on CT. For vascular calcifications, the Agatston score was used. Valvular calcifications were studied on echocardiography. Results: A total of 70 patients were included (mean age: 62.3 (±15.6) years, women 88.5%). The mean SBAC-L1 was 157.26 (±52.1) HU, and 35 patients (50%) presented an SBAC-L1 ⩽ 145 HU. The reproducibility of the calcification evaluation was good, with kappa coefficients varying between 0.63 and 1. In univariate analysis, spinal and vascular calcifications were associated with an SBAC-L1 ⩽ 145 HU, with ORs of 13.6 (1.6-113.3) and 8 (95%CI: 2.5-25.5), respectively. In multivariate analysis, the SBAC-L1 was not associated with the presence of any ectopic calcifications. The SBAC-L1 decreased with age (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Patients with systemic sclerosis with an SBAC-L1 ⩽ 145 HU were older, but they did not have more ectopic calcification. Trial registration: The ethics committee of Nancy Hospital agreed with this study (referral file number 166). This study was designed in accordance with the general ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.

The association between markers of type I collagen synthesis and echocardiographic response to spironolactone in patients at risk of heart failure: findings from the HOMAGE trial.

AIMS: Procollagen type I C-terminal propeptide (PICP) and procollagen type III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) are markers reflecting collagen synthesis in cardiac fibrosis. However, they may be influenced by the presence of non-cardiac comorbidities (e.g. ageing, obesity, renal impairment). Understanding the associations between markers of collagen synthesis and abnormalities of cardiac structure and function is important to screen for myocardial fibrosis and monitor the antifibrotic effect of medications. METHODS AND RESULTS: The HOMAGE (Heart 'OMics' in AGEing) trial showed that spironolactone decreased serum PICP concentrations and improved cardiac remodelling over 9 months in a population at risk of developing heart failure (HF). We evaluated the associations between echocardiographic variables, PICP, PIIINP and galectin-3 at baseline and during the course of the trial. Among 527 individuals (74 ± 7 years, 26% women), median serum concentrations of PICP, PIIINP and galectin-3 were 80.6 µg/L (65.1-97.0), 3.9 µg/L (3.1-5.0), and 16.1 µg/L (13.5-19.7), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, higher serum PICP was significantly associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement, and greater ventricular stiffness (all p < 0.05), whereas serum PIIINP and galectin-3 were not (all p > 0.05). In patients treated with spironolactone, a reduction in serum PICP during the trial was associated with a decrease in E/e' (adjusted-beta = 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.14-1.73; p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: In individuals at high risk of developing HF, serum PICP was associated with cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, and a decrease in PICP with spironolactone was correlated with improved diastolic dysfunction as assessed by E/e'. In contrast, no such associations were present for serum PIIINP and galectin-3.

Outcomes of culture-negative vs. culture-positive infective endocarditis: the ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO registry.

AIM: Fatality of infective endocarditis (IE) is high worldwide, and its diagnosis remains a challenge. The objective of the present study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with culture-positive (CPIE) vs. culture-negative IE (CNIE). METHODS AND RESULTS: This was an ancillary analysis of the ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO registry. Overall, 3113 patients who were diagnosed with IE during the study period were included in the present study. Of these, 2590 (83.2%) had CPIE, whereas 523 (16.8%) had CNIE. As many as 1488 (48.1%) patients underwent cardiac surgery during the index hospitalization, 1259 (48.8%) with CPIE and 229 (44.5%) with CNIE. The CNIE was a predictor of 1-year mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.56], whereas surgery was significantly associated with survival (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.41-0.58). The 1-year mortality was significantly higher in CNIE than CPIE patients in the medical subgroup, but it was not significantly different in CNIE vs. CPIE patients who underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: The present analysis of the EURO-ENDO registry confirms a higher long-term mortality in patients with CNIE compared with patients with CPIE. This difference was present in patients receiving medical therapy alone and not in those who underwent surgery, with surgery being associated with reduced mortality. Additional efforts are required both to improve the aetiological diagnosis of IE and identify CNIE cases early before progressive disease potentially contraindicates surgery.

Prognosis of Adults With Isolated Left Ventricular Non-Compaction: Results of a Prospective Multicentric Study.

Background: Whether left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) bears a different prognosis than dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is still a matter of debate. Methods: From a multicenter French prospective registry, we compared the outcomes of 98 patients with LVNC and 65 with DCM. The primary endpoint combined cardiovascular death, heart transplantation, and hospitalization for cardiovascular events. The two groups presented similar outcomes but different left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) (43.3% in LVNC vs. 35.95% in DCM, p = 0.001). For this reason, a subgroup analysis was performed comparing only patients with LVEF ≤ 45%, including 56 with LVNC and 49 with DCM. Results: Among patients with LVEF≤ 45%, at 5-year follow-up, the primary endpoint occurred in 33 (58.9%) among 56 patients with LVNC and 18 (36.7%) among 49 patients with DCM (p = 0.02). Hospitalization for heart failure (18 [32.14%] vs. 5 [10.20%], p = 0.035) and heart transplantation were more frequent in the LVNC than in the DCM group. The incidences of rhythmic complications (24 [42.85%] vs. 12 [24.48%], p = 0.17), embolic events, and cardiovascular death were similar between LVNC and DCM cases. Among the 42 patients with LVNC and LVEF > 45%, the primary endpoints occurred in only 4 (9.52%) patients, including 2 hospitalizations for heart failure and 3 rhythmic complications, but no embolic events. Conclusion: In this prospective cohort, patients with LVNC who have left ventricular dysfunction present a poorer prognosis than DCM patients. Heart failure events were especially more frequent, but embolic events were not. Patients with LVNC and preserved ejection fraction present very few events in 5 years.

Long-Lasting Myocardial and Skeletal Muscle Damage Evidenced by Serial CMR During the First Year in COVID-19 Patients From the First Wave.

Introduction: This observational CMR study aims to characterize left-ventricular (LV) damage, which may be specifically attributed to COVID-19 and is distant in time from the acute phase, through serial CMR performed during the first year in patients with no prior cardiac disease. Methods: This study included consecutive patients without any prior history of cardiac disease but with a peak troponin-Ic > 50 ng/ml at the time of the first COVID-wave. All had a CMR in the first months after the acute phase, and some had an additional CMR at the end of the first year to monitor LV function, remodeling, and abnormalities evocative of myositis and myocarditis - i.e., increased T1/T2 relaxation times, increased extracellular volume (ECV), and delayed contrast enhancement. Results: Nineteen consecutively admitted COVID-19 patients (17 men, median age 66 [57-71] years) were included. Eight (42%) had hypertension, six (32%) were obese, and 16 (84%) had suffered an acute respiratory distress syndrome. The 1st CMR, recorded at a median 3.2 [interquartile range: 2.6-3.9] months from the troponin peak, showed (1) LV concentric remodeling in 12 patients (63%), (2) myocardial tissue abnormalities in 11 (58%), including 9 increased myocardial ECVs, and (3) 14 (74%) increased ECVs from shoulder skeletal muscles. The 2nd CMR, obtained at 11.1 [11.0-11.7] months from the troponin peak in 13 patients, showed unchanged LV function and remodeling but a return to normal or below the normal range for all ECVs of the myocardium and skeletal muscles. Conclusion: Many patients with no history of cardiac disease but for whom an increase in blood troponin-Ic ascertained COVID-19 induced myocardial damage exhibited signs of persistent extracellular edema at a median 3-months from the troponin peak, affecting the myocardium and skeletal muscles, which resolved within a one-year time frame. Associations with long-COVID symptoms need to be investigated on a larger scale now. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04753762 on the ClinicalTrials.gov site.