Predictive value of global longitudinal strain and geometry of left ventricle in patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy

Aim. To assess the prognostic role of a decrease in longitudinal strain and an increase in the left ventricular sphericity index as predictors of NYHA class III heart failure (HF) progression, requiring hospitalization in a cohort of patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCM) in combination with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Material and methods. We examined 90 patients with a combination of NCM and DCM aged 18 to 72 years (median age, 41 years; men — 73; women — 17), who, in addition to conventional echocardiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics, were studied for two-dimensional strain and global longitudinal strain (GLS) parameters and left ventricular sphericity index (SI) using cardiac MRI. The endpoints included NYHA class III HF progression, requiring hospitalization.

Results. During the follow-up period (median follow-up, 36 (6; 152) months) in 59 of 90 (65,5%) patients with NCM in combination with DCM, symptoms progressed to NYHA class III HF, requiring hospitalization. Multivariate analysis showed following independent risk factors for HF-related hospitalization: a decrease in GLS <10% (hazard ratio (HR), 5,1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1,6-16,7, p<0,007) and an increase in SI >0,5 (HR, 9,0; 95% CI, 2,2-37,8, p<0,003) .The 3-year event-free survival rate for patients with one risk factor (GLS, %<10 and SI <0,5; GLS, %>10 and SI >0,5) was 79,2±16,9% and 64,4±24,6%, respectively, while for the group with two risk factors (GLS, %<10 and SI>0,5) — 12,3%.

Conclusion. Global longitudinal strain characteristics according to 2D Strain echocardiography and SI according to cardiac MRI are associated with adverse events in NCM and DCM combination and can be used to identify patients with a high risk of HF progression to NYHA class III, requiring hospitalization.

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