Impact of aortic stiffness by velocity-encoded magnetic resonance imaging on late gadolinium enhancement to predict cardiovascular events

Background: Increased aortic stiffness has been established as a marker in various cardiovascular diseases. Previous reports revealed a significant correlation between aortic stiffness and myocardial scarring using the late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR). However, prognostic data concerning aortic stiffness combining myocardial scarring remains limited.

Method: A total of 402 patients who had undergone clinical CMR for the evaluation of cardiac function, LGE, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) using velocity encoded-CMR (VE-CMR) were included. Patients were classified into 4 groups using mean PWV and the presence of LGE as elevated or non-elevated PWV and positive or negative LGE. Patients received follow-up for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) comprising cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke. Predictors of MACE and hard cardiac events (cardiovascular death or non-fatal myocardial infarction) were evaluated.

Results: During the average follow-up period of 47.7 months, 58 MACE occurred. Patients who had elevated PWV and positive LGE experienced the highest rate of MACE compared to the group with non-elevated PWV and negative LGE (HR 11.90, p < 0.001). Among patients who had LGE, those who had elevated PWV experienced a 2.4-times higher rate of MACE compared to those who had non-elevated PWV. Multivariate analysis showed that PWV and LGE were independent predictors of MACE and hard cardiac events. PWV had excellent intra- and inter-observer reproducibility (intra-: ICC = 0.98, p < 0.001, inter-: ICC = 0.97, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Aortic stiffness using VE-CMR had prognostic value to predict cardiovascular events, with the added benefits of LGE.