Real-time cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging for non-invasive characterisation of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: final outcomes of the HFpEF stress trial

The diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains challenging. Recently, the HFpEF Stress Trial demonstrated feasibility and accuracy of non-invasive cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) real-time (RT) exercise-stress atrial function imaging for early identification of HFpEF. However, no outcome data have yet been presented.

The HFpEF Stress Trial (DZHK-17) prospectively recruited 75 patients with dyspnea on exertion and echocardiographic preserved EF and signs of diastolic dysfunction (E/eʹ > 8). 68 patients entered the final study cohort and were characterized as HFpEF (n = 34) or non-cardiac dyspnea (n = 34) according to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (HFpEF: PCWP rest: ≥ 15 mmHg stress: ≥ 25 mmHg). These patients were contacted by telephone and hospital charts were reviewed. The clinical endpoint was cardiovascular events (CVE).

Follow-up was performed after 48 months; 1 patient was lost to follow-up. HFpEF patients were more frequently compared to non-cardiac dyspnea (15 vs. 8, p = 0.059). Hospitalised patients during follow-up had higher H2FPEF scores (5 vs. 3, p < 0.001), and impaired left atrial (LA) function at rest (p ≤ 0.002) and stress (p ≤ 0.006). Impairment of CMR-derived atrial function parameters at rest and during exercise-stress (p ≤ 0.003) was associated with increased likelihood for CVE. CMR-Feature Tracking LA Es/Ee (p = 0.016/0.017) and RT-CMR derived LA long axis strain (p = 0.003) were predictors of CVE independent of the presence of atrial fibrillation.

Left atrial function emerged as the strongest predictor for 4-year outcome in the HFpEF Stress Trial. A combination of rest and exercise-stress LA function quantification allows accurate diagnostic and prognostic stratification in HFpEF.

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03260621.