MRI-derived Right Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain Predicts Heart Failure.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Radiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
• Right ventricular (RV) function is crucial in HF prognosis.
• Novel imaging biomarkers are needed for early HF risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between RV strain metrics derived from feature-tracking cardiac MRI and incident HF.
• To determine the independent predictive value of RV strain for HF development.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 45,700 UK Biobank participants with cardiac MRI data.
• Feature-tracking analysis to derive RV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and global radial strain (GRS).
• Cox regression models used to assess the association with incident HF, adjusted for clinical and imaging covariates.

Main Results:

• Lower absolute RV GLS, GCS, and GRS were associated with increased HF risk.
• Multivariable analysis revealed RV GLS as an independent predictor of HF (HR: 1.16; P = .04).
• RV GLS demonstrated predictive value beyond conventional RV imaging markers and clinical features.

Conclusions:

• RV myocardial strain metrics, including GLS, GCS, and GRS, are independently predictive of HF in the general population.
• RV GLS offers significant independent prognostic value for HF, surpassing conventional markers.