Myocardial triglyceride content at 3 T cardiovascular magnetic resonance and left ventricular systolic function: A cross-sectional study in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure

Pen An Liao, Gigin Lin, Shang Yueh Tsai, Chao Hung Wang, Yu Hsiang Juan, Yu Ching Lin, Ming Ting Wu, Lan Yan Yang, Min Hui Liu, Tsun Ching Chang, Yu Chun Lin, Yu Chieh Huang, Pei Ching Huang, Jiun Jie Wang, Shu Hang Ng*, Koon Kwan Ng

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Increased myocardial triglyceride (TG) content has been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, its relation with cardiac function in patients on recovery from acute heart failure (HF) remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we sought to investigate the association between myocardial TG content measured on magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and left ventricular (LV) function assessed on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients who were hospitalized with HF. Methods: A total of 50 patients who were discharged after hospitalization for acute HF and 21 age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. Myocardial TG content and LV parameters (function and mass) were measured on a 3.0 T MR scanner. Fatty acid (FA) and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content was normalized against water (W) using the LC-Model algorithm. The patient population was dichotomized according to the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, <50 % or ≥ 50 %). Results: H-MRS data were available for 48 patients and 21 controls. Of the 48 patients, 25 had a LVEF <50 % (mean, 31.2 %), whereas the remaining 23 had a normal LVEF (mean, 60.2 %). Myocardial UFA/W ratio was found to differ significantly in patients with low LVEF, normal LVEF, and controls (0.79 % vs. 0.21 % vs. 0.14 %, respectively, p = 0.02). The myocardial UFA/TG ratio was associated with LV mass (r = 0.39, p < 0.001) and modestly related to LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV; r = 0.24, p = 0.039). We also identified negative correlations of the myocardial FA/TG ratio with both LV mass (r = -0.39, p < 0.001) and LVEDV (r = -0.24, p = 0.039). Conclusions: As compared with controls, patients who were discharged after hospitalization for acute HF had increased myocardial UFA content; furthermore, UFA was inversely related with LVEF, LV mass and, to a lesser extent, LVEDV. Our study may stimulate further research on the measure of myocardial UFA content by 1H-MRS for outcome prediction.

Original languageEnglish
Article number9
JournalJournal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Feb 2016

Keywords

  • Cardiovascular magnetic resonance
  • Heart failure
  • Left ventricular systolic function
  • Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
  • Myocardial triglyceride content

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