Prognostic value of right atrial strain derived from cardiovascular magnetic resonance in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: The value of right atrial (RA) function in cardiovascular diseases is currently limited. This study was to explore the prognostic value of RA strain derived from fast long axis method by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with DCM who underwent CMR from June 2012 to March 2019 and 120 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Fast long-axis strain method was performed to assess the RA phasic function including RA reservoir strain, conduit strain, and booster strain. The predefined primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The composite heart failure (HF) endpoint included HF death, HF readmission, and heart transplantation. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier survival curve were performed to describe the association between RA strain and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 624 patients (444 men, mean 48 years) were studied. After a median follow-up of 32.5 months, 116 patients (18.6%) experienced all-cause mortality and 205 patients (32.9%) reached composite HF endpoint. RA function was impaired in DCM patients compared with healthy subjects (all P < 0.001). After adjustment for covariates, RA reservoir strain [hazard ratio (HR) (per 5% decrease) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.37, P = 0.022] and conduit strain [HR (per 5% decrease) 1.37, 95% CI 1.03–1.84, P = 0.033] were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Moreover, RA strain added incremental prognostic value for the prediction of adverse cardiac events over baseline clinical and CMR predictors (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: RA strain by fast long-axis analysis is independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with DCM. Trial registration: Trial registration number: ChiCTR1800017058; Date of registration: 2018-07-10 (Retrospective registration); URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12968-022-00894-w.