Impact of right ventricular volume and function evaluated using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging on outcomes after surgical ventricular reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate whether cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived right ventricular (RV) assessment can facilitate risk stratification among patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy who underwent surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR).

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 53 patients who underwent SVR. The patients were preoperatively evaluated using cardiac MRI. Cine-MRI was acquired for left ventricular (LV) and RV volume. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI was performed to evaluate LV scarring. The mid-term (median, 58 months) risk factors of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events were analysed.

RESULTS

A significant reduction in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume index and an increase in LV ejection fraction were observed early after SVR. RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and RV end-systolic volume index (RVESVI) decreased after SVR (preoperative versus postoperative: RVEDVI, 71 ± 24 vs 62 ± 17 ml/m2, P = 0.006; RVESVI, 44 ± 26 vs 37 ± 16 ml/m2, P = 0.033), but RV ejection fraction did not change (preoperative versus postoperative: RV ejection fraction 40.8±14.6 vs 42.0±11.0%, P = 0.067). At follow-up, 25 deaths and 31 major adverse cardiac events occurred. After adjustment for age, creatinine level and preoperative mitral regurgitation grade, the Cox-hazard model indicated that RVEDVI [P = 0.006, hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.05] and RVESVI [P = 0.007, HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04] were significant predictors for all-cause mortality. As for major adverse cardiac events, RVEDVI (P = 0.007, HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05), RVESVI (P = 0.002, HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04) and RV ejection fraction (P = 0.018, HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99) were significant.

CONCLUSIONS

RV parameters were more sensitive than LV parameters for predicting worse outcomes following SVR. Preoperative assessment of RV volume and function using cardiac MRI may improve the risk stratification of SVR.