Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Noninvasive Assessment of Cardiac Abnormalities in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis by Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Imaging in the Mouse
Published on: June 20, 2014
One-Year Follow-up Study Detects Myocardial Changes with Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Tagging in Active
Lauri Lehmonen1, Aino-Maija Vuorinen2, Riitta Koivuniemi3
1HUS Medical Imaging Center, Radiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, PO Box 340, Helsinki FI-00029 HUS, Finland; Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, PO Box 64, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland.
Insights
Early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment improves heart function. Medical therapy for active RA enhanced myocardial function and reduced inflammation, particularly in early RA patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the cardiovascular system.
- Early detection and treatment of RA are crucial for managing disease progression and potential complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of 1 year of antirheumatic treatment on myocardial function in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
- To differentiate the effects of treatment on early active RA (ERA) versus chronic RA.
Main Methods:
- A cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) examination, including volumetric analysis, late gadolinium enhancement, myocardial tagging, and T1 mapping, was performed before and after 1 year of treatment.
- Thirty-nine female patients with RA were divided into ERA and chronic RA groups.
- Disease activity was quantified using the DAS28-CRP score.
Main Results:
- In the ERA group, significant improvements were observed in the time to peak diastolic filling rate and peak diastolic circumferential strain rate.
- Inflammatory activity, measured by DAS28-CRP, significantly decreased in the ERA group.
- No statistically significant improvements in myocardial function were detected in the chronic RA group.
Conclusions:
- Early medical treatment of active RA is important for improving myocardial function.
- CMR-assessed myocardial function, particularly using tagging, improved in ERA patients concurrently with reduced inflammatory activity.
Rationale And Objectives:
To evaluate the effects of 1 year of medical treatment on myocardial function in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Materials And Methods:
Thirty-nine female patients with RA without any known cardiovascular disease underwent a cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) examination before and after 1 year of antirheumatic treatment. The population comprised untreated active early RA (ERA) and chronic RA patients, who were grouped accordingly. The CMR protocol included volumetric determinations, late gadolinium enhancement imaging, myocardial tagging, and native T1 mapping. DAS28-CRP disease activity scores were calculated before and after the treatment.
Results:
Results are reported as median (quartile 1-quartile 3). Time to peak diastolic filling rate improved in ERA (495 [443-561] ms vs 441 [340-518] ms, P = .018). Peak diastolic mean mid short-axis circumferential strain rate of all six segments was improved (82 [74-91] %/s vs 91 [77-100] %/s, P = .05), particularly in the anterior segment (82 [63-98] %/s vs 86 [77-109] %/s, P = .013). DAS28-CRP decreased in ERA (3.8 [3.2-4.1] vs 1.6 [1.4-2.2], P < .001). In chronic RA, no statistically significant improvement was detected.
Conclusions:
Early treatment of active RA is important, as myocardial function detected with CMR tagging improved in ERA in parallel with decreasing inflammatory activity.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:21Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management