Towards understanding the phenotypes of myocardial involvement in the presence of self-limiting and sustained systemic inflammation: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Journal article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the patterns of myocardial involvement in the presence of self-limiting and sustained systemic inflammation, using MRI. METHODS: Ninety-four subjects, with a clinical diagnosis of myocarditis (n = 36), RA (n = 24) and apparently healthy subjects (n = 34, control group), underwent standardized cardiac MRI protocol for the assessment of global and regional morphology and systolic function using balanced steady-state free precession sequences, T2-weighted images and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) studies. RESULTS: The three groups were well matched for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors. The RA group showed markedly increased end-diastolic volumes and reduced ejection fraction (P < 0.05). Antero/inferolateral wall thickness was greater in the myocarditis group and reduced in RA, associated with reduced radial and longitudinal thickening (P < 0.01), and markedly raised T2-oedema ratio and global LGE scores (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results may signify the phenotypic features of myocardial plasticity and deformation in response to self-limiting and sustained inflammatory injury.

Authors: Puntmann, V; Taylor, P; Barr, A; Schnackenburg, B; Jahnke, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 528-535
• Publication date: 2010-03-01
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kep426
• EISSN: 1462-0332
• ISSN: 1462-0324
• Language: English
• Keywords: Ventricular Remodeling; Myocarditis; C-Reactive Protein; Middle Aged; Humans; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Phenotype; Male; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Inflammation Mediators; Ventricular Function, Left; Adult; Stroke Volume; Female; Biological Markers