CMR-derived left ventricular intraventricular pressure gradients identify different patterns associated with prognosis in dilated cardiomyopathy

AIMS: Left ventricular (LV) blood flow is determined by intraventricular pressure gradients (IVPG). Changes in blood flow initiate remodelling and precede functional decline. Novel cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) post-processing LV-IVPG analysis might provide a sensitive marker of LV function in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate LV-IVPG patterns and their prognostic value in DCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: LV-IVPGs between apex and base were measured on standard CMR cine images in DCM patients (n = 447) from the Maastricht Cardiomyopathy registry. Major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart failure hospitalisations, life-threatening arrhythmias, and sudden/cardiac death, occurred in 66 DCM patients (15%). A temporary LV-IVPG reversal during systolic–diastolic transition, leading to a prolonged transition period or slower filling, was present in 168 patients (38%). In 14%, this led to a reversal of blood flow, which predicted outcome corrected for univariable predictors [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.57, 95% confidence interval (1.01–6.51), P = 0.047]. In patients without pressure reversal (n = 279), impaired overall LV-IVPG [HR = 0.91 (0.83–0.99), P = 0.033], systolic ejection force [HR = 0.91 (0.86–0.96), P < 0.001], and E-wave decelerative force [HR = 0.83 (0.73–0.94), P = 0.003] predicted outcome, independent of known predictors (age, sex, New York Heart Association class ≥ 3, LV ejection fraction, late gadolinium enhancement, LV-longitudinal strain, left atrium (LA) volume-index, and LA-conduit strain). CONCLUSION: Pressure reversal during systolic–diastolic transition was observed in one-third of DCM patients, and reversal of blood flow direction predicted worse outcome. In the absence of pressure reversal, lower systolic ejection force, E-wave decelerative force (end of passive LV filling), and overall LV-IVPG are powerful predictors of outcome, independent of clinical and imaging parameters.